Yep. The new film is planned for 2015. Yep.
Wow, well that's certainly... something...
Are we not also expecting a T.V series, 'underworld' or something? Do we have a thread about that?
Business. As usual.
Wonder how it affects the ongoing Clone Wars series, in view of how closely Lucas has been involved in recent years. Presumably at least the 6th season is well into production at the moment.
Looks like we'll get the original films on Blu-Ray now.
Lucas said in a statement, "It's now time for me to pass `Star Wars' on to a new generation of filmmakers."
I think they all ready took it from you George when they started re-editing your films, desperately looking for the greater films within the lesser.
Just saw THIS (http://updates.io9.com/post/34653322811/newly-merged-disney-lucasfilm-will-put-out-star-wars) over on io9. Apparently disney bought Lucasfilm out for FOUR FUCKING BILL ION FUCKING DOLLARS.
I don't think the mouse is going to let Lucas anywhere near this movie, apart from maybe some perfunctory consultant credit
Well here's hoping the new films are better than episodes I to III. Can't be too hard can it?
Also looking forward to that Mark Hamill cameo in episode VII...
While I would be happy to Lucas give up Star Wars I'm not sure the Disneybots could do much better.
So the prophecy is coming true. That story about 9 films in the story arc, which was said about 25 years ago and then denied, may be coming true :o
Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Lucasfilm, a leader in entertainment, innovation and technology, including its massively popular and "evergreen" Star Wars franchise and its operating businesses in live action film production, consumer products, animation, visual effects, and audio post production. Disney will also acquire the substantial portfolio of cutting-edge entertainment technologies that have kept audiences enthralled for many years. Lucasfilm, headquartered in San Francisco, operates under the names Lucasfilm Ltd., LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and Skywalker Sound, and the present intent is for Lucasfilm employees to remain in their current locations.
Kathleen Kennedy, current Co-Chairman of Lucasfilm, will become President of Lucasfilm, reporting to Walt Disney Studios Chairman Alan Horn. Additionally she will serve as the brand manager for Star Wars, working directly with Disney's global lines of business to build, further integrate, and maximize the value of this global franchise. Ms. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars feature films, with George Lucas serving as creative consultant. Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
The Lucasfilm acquisition follows Disney's very successful acquisitions of Pixar and Marvel, which demonstrated the company's unique ability to fully develop and expand the financial potential of high quality creative content with compelling characters and storytelling through the application of innovative technology and multiplatform distribution on a truly global basis to create maximum value. Adding Lucasfilm to Disney's portfolio of world class brands significantly enhances the company's ability to serve consumers with a broad variety of the world's highest-quality content and to create additional long-term value for our shareholders.
http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/Disney+to+Acquire+Lucasfilm+Ltd./7828436.html
Maybe it's not the worst that the House of Tharg ain't a license to print money otherwise Uncle Walt might eat us.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 30 October, 2012, 08:59:02 PM
So the prophecy is coming true. That story about 9 films in the story arc, which was said about 25 years ago and then denied, may be coming true :o
Looks more like it's going to be
99 films now:
Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
Those fucking Solo kids I bet!
Quote from: Judge von Boom on 30 October, 2012, 08:54:30 PM
While I would be happy to Lucas give up Star Wars I'm not sure the Disneybots could do much better.
I don't know, the Mouse has a lot off weight to throw around. They
could put together a top class team, they have Pixar and the Marvel Movie Mandarins in their stable. Imagine if Pixar made Star Wars. John Ratzenberger would probably play one of Han's dodgy mates.
They don't even need to make a movie though do they? I'm assuming the buy out included merch revenues. I think the Mouse's biggest problem will be finding a director. You'd have to be very brave and/or very stupid to take on Star Wars. Zakk Snyder, anyone?
Much as I fear the People of the Mouse, they can be a bloody competent operation, and the barrel has already been thoroughly dredged under the previous owners. As others have said over on the main SW forums, it's hard to get excited about 'Episode VII', since the story was the story, and it turned out that dragging it out for three prequels was pretty disappointing. However, the idea of a new SW film, without that title/burden, is quite enticing.
It looks to me like Lucas has correctly judged that the star in SW is on the wane, and $4B is as good as it's going to get.
So, Joss Whedon's Star Wars, anyone?
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 October, 2012, 09:09:40 PM
So, Joss Whedon's Star Wars, anyone?
or Andrew Stanton's...
Dunno about 99 SW sequels - more likely three main films and a bunch of spin-offs. Ewoks, probably.
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 October, 2012, 09:09:40 PM
and $4B is as good as it's going to get.
S'not exactly like $4B is a bad amount!
I do like the prospect of a Joss Whedon Star Wars...
I'm sure in the coming year(s) I'll bitch and moan about this like we all will at some point, but there is no way that I won't at some point get ridiculously excited about this, even if it is just because it's Star Wars!
Plus the fact that it's allegedly a sequel to the originals surely means right off the bat it has something the prequels didn't.
Apparently Star Wars VII will merge into the Phase 2 Avengers film.
The evil Empire triumphant. Excellent.
Audio of conference call:
http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/c2nj5j33/lan/en%20%20
You can bet the Mouse House will get their money's worth from this buy-out, in every medium. Disney-Studio only accounts for 7% of their business.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 09:13:59 PM
or Andrew Stanton's...
Interesting, and he's already played Darth Vader too...
The main question this raises now is will my Darth Goofy and Mickey Skywalker* figures be worth more or less?
*That's surely the name of a cocktail served in certain select bars.
It probably means the famous 20th Century Fox Fanfare will be gone from the beginning of Star Wars films.
Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away... will play after/over this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMyHnZ4lV54
Quote from: DrJomster on 30 October, 2012, 08:52:12 PM
Well here's hoping the new films are better than episodes I to III. Can't be too hard can it?
Goaty do
FUCKING love Episode III!
But let see how they doing it... but when was Disney buy Marvel?
I look forward to Star Wars 7 with the same level of fevered excitiement that I would have for a new season of Young Indy Chronicles.
Quote from: Goaty on 30 October, 2012, 10:15:57 PM
But let see how they doing it... but when was Disney buy Marvel?
Today.
The
treatment for the VII, VIII & IX sequels came with the buy-out deal and that treatment/production-work has been in development since the end of production on Return of the Jedi despite what Lucas himself has said publicly - according to the rumours that have leaked out from Lucasfilm workers over the years - and this pretty much confirms it.
Really??
Hope the first film from it won't be like so film with pointless plot about some unexplained reasons of some politics with one silly character that only to entertainment the children and get some big race or somethings even at end with some goodie & baddie fight with the soooo evil guy that looks like demon... ooh wait.
It wouldn't surprise me if Spielberg has all ready been asked informally to direct a Star Wars film. Maybe Joe Cornish will get to write it.
Christ- disney, spielberg, kathleen kennedy, joe cornish... this is turning into the worst nightmare of a day in the history of the world. No wonder they chose the day of Hurricane Sandy to bury this news. I can see a future in which i have a locked box containing the original six movies, the first 40 issues of the marvel comic, the clone wars cartoons, original chewbacca kenner figure and small-head han solo- and nothing else. And i will only open that box when the family is out, and only then to softly cry.
SBT
If I'd had the money I'd have bought them out and shut down the whole operation. Freeing the Skywalker-ranch slave-orphans.
Buy me out, and I will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine!
We can sneer, but....Star Wars Episode VII and Bryan Singer's 'Days of Future Past' announced on the same day?
It's like some kinda geek fairytale- and that crazy mutha-fuckin virgin still has one rub of the Genie's lamp left to go.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 10:02:38 PM
It probably means the famous 20th Century Fox Fanfare will be gone from the beginning of Star Wars films.
Once upon a time in a galaxy far, far away... will play after/over this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMyHnZ4lV54
Arghhh! after suffering years of tinkering, thats the final straw, ;)
Mmm, not sure what to make of all this, as i only like the original films - and only ANH, at a push.
Not sure i can rouse much enthusiasm for this, but hey..
Quote from: Link Prime on 30 October, 2012, 11:34:13 PM...and that crazy mutha-fuckin virgin still has one rub of the Genie's lamp left to go.
But as a geek he'll be aware that the third and final wish must only be used to put the genie back in the bottle. More so if it's Robin Williams.
I hope Michael Bay directs all of the sequels, I could do with some cheering up.
Michael Bay could continue the tradition of dodgy ethnic caricatures
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 11:40:53 PM
I hope Michael Bay directs all of the sequels, I could do with some cheering up.
Shia The Beef for Han Solo Jr! He has previous.
Michael Bay, Brett Ratner and McG for the trilogy.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 11:40:53 PM
I hope Michael Bay directs all of the sequels, I could do with some cheering up.
If you could only bottle cynicism Joe...you could afford to buy Star Wars back from Disney!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 11:49:37 PM
Michael Bay, Brett Ratner and McG for the trilogy.
No love for Tim Burton?
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 30 October, 2012, 08:59:02 PM
So the prophecy is coming true. That story about 9 films in the story arc, which was said about 25 years ago and then denied, may be coming true :o
Aha! I knew I didn't dream this! In your face, Paul "Star Wars Uber-Geek" Bootle!
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 October, 2012, 11:53:45 PM
No love for Tim Burton?
He'll be busy on that Sith based comedy/horror thing.
This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Lucasfilm, and will soon see the end of the franchise.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 31 October, 2012, 12:03:41 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 October, 2012, 11:53:45 PM
No love for Tim Burton?
He'll be busy on that Sith based comedy/horror thing.
Helena Bonham-Carter as Mara Jade maybe?
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 31 October, 2012, 12:03:41 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 October, 2012, 11:53:45 PM
No love for Tim Burton?
He'll be busy on that Sith based comedy/horror thing.
Tim Burton is too busy directing Johnny Depp, who is playing Tim Burton in Tim Burton's Tim Burton
These aren't the sequels you're looking for. It's just about business.
Move along.
Move along.
As a fanboy myself, the most amusing thing about all this is how Star Wars fandom is going to deal with not having Lucas as a whipping boy any more. Oh this is going to make those debates about his 'disregard for canon' seem as utterly trivial as they always were.
If anyone involved has any sense they'll chuck those legendary 'treatments' in the bin, hire Hamill for a force-ghost appearance only, skip ahead 200 years and tell a whole new story in the old setting. Sadly the laws of the business mean that the next film will be wall-to-wall with reprises and heavy-handed knowing homages to the previous 6, with some Johnny Depp thrown in for luck.
Given that everything we've seen over 6 films and 45 hours of cartoons has been recycled and stretched ever thinner from Lucas' original notepads and McQuarrie's concept drawings, along with a strong dose of making-it-up-as-he-goes-along, the idea that there's anything left in those 30-year old 'treatments' that would sustain even one new movie is very hard to believe.
Quote from: TordelBack on 31 October, 2012, 12:10:00 AM...the idea that there's anything left in those 30-year old 'treatments' that would sustain even one new movie is very hard to believe.
It's as if a thousand ideas all called out in pain and suddenly were silenced.
So, does Lucasfilm include Lucasarts? Either way, can somebody just get the fuck around to putting X-Wing and Tie Fighter on Steam?
Quote from: The Cosh on 31 October, 2012, 12:17:10 AM
So, does Lucasfilm include Lucasarts? Either way, can somebody just get the fuck around to putting X-Wing and Tie Fighter on Steam?
It's the whole
shebang.
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 31 October, 2012, 12:09:28 AM
These aren't the sequels you're looking for. It's just about business.
Move along.
Move along.
The thing is, I'm not looking for any sequels. The horrible thing is, I will go and see it anyway, out of morbid curiosity if nothing else. I didn't bother going to see Episode III at the cinema, I only saw it for the first time a few years ago. It was a hungover Sunday afternoon and it came on ITV. I was glad I didn't waste me money at the Odeon. It's far too early to judge this though, but the idea of a post-Lucas Star Wars is intriguing. It was bound to happen eventually, I just didn't think it would be so soon.
Quote from: The Cosh on 31 October, 2012, 12:17:10 AM
So, does Lucasfilm include Lucasarts? Either way, can somebody just get the fuck around to putting X-Wing and Tie Fighter on Steam?
Yes. That needs to happen. Also X-Wing
Vs Tie Fighter
The first move by Waltenstein will be the Christmas theatre release of The Star Wars Holiday Special.
Rejoice!
2000ad, prog 661, 13th Jan 1990, page 20, panel 2.
Judge Dredd mops up after the Mr Shelley incident, in the background is a poster advertising the latest Star Wars film: Jedi Ewoks Eaten Alive!
Oh, how I scoffed at the time.
Oh how I know now that John Wagner can see the future.
And, my children, it is fucking grim.
*or Will Simpson. One of those two buggers is a Time Lord, I tell you.
The chances of successfully creating another good trilogy is approximately 3,720 to 1 !!
Does this enhance or ruin the chances of properly restored hi-res releases of the original untouched trilogy?
And what of another Indiana Jones movie..?
Good against Lucasfilm is one thing. Good against Disney? That's something else.
Quite surprised that it was LFL, ILM, Lucasarts etc. seemed like a good price for what they got.
As for the films - they'd have to be pretty spectacular to reignite any interest I have in Star Wars.
I wonder if he's signed away his veto on releasing the originals?
Don't expect 'untouched' OT Blu-Rays too soon:
Disney's $4 billion deal for Lucasfilm does not include the right to release the original 'Star Wars' -- unless a new deal can be forged with Fox.
Fox owns distribution rights to the original Star Wars, No. 4 in the series, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. And as for the five subsequent movies, Fox has theatrical, nontheatrical and home video rights worldwide through May 2020.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/10/30/fox-retain-rights-to-all-existing-star-wars-films/
I wonder if I can finally get my 6 year old daughter interested in Star Wars now that Leia is officially a Disney Princess?
It's disappointing that the deal wont allow Disney to release the OT, the only Star Wars thing that I would be interested in parting with cash for right now is a remastered and cleaned up HD release of the unmolested OT.
Still, my inner nerd can't help but be a little excited at the prospect of a new trilogy, especially one without George Lucas involved.
I'm cautiously optimistic about a new Star Wars film, but seeing what Disney did with 'John Carter' does not bode well IMO. I think a good idea for a new trilogy would be the Yuhzan Vong invasion from the expanded universe (now that's biotech). And please, please no more Clone Wars, it's shit!
Cheers :)
Quote from: NapalmKev on 31 October, 2012, 09:29:54 AM
I'm cautiously optimistic about a new Star Wars film, but seeing what Disney did with 'John Carter' does not bode well IMO.
Disney won't be making it, Lucasfilm will be a separate entity within Disney like Marvel and PIXAR. Then again John Carter is still probably a better film than the any prequels.
Disney, tear this franchise apart until you've found those dollars. And bring me the original cast, I want them alive!
That's fairly unwieldy - didn't expect them to retain rights forever on the first film.
I'd hope they'd do a deal and both want to get them out while there still is a larger physical media market.
Just to make you all even happier, all the sequels will be 3D (http://www.stereoscopynews.com/hotnews/3d-movies/3d-blockbusters/2755-star-wars-7-will-be-released-in-3d-by-disney-in-2015-episodes-8-and-9-will-follow.html).
There's loads of scope for stories set after ROTJ without having to worry about what the extended universe has done.
I like to see and old Luke skywalker as a kind of Kenobi / Yoda figure still trying to bring the Jedi back to power.
You've basically got one man alive at the end of ROTJ who knows how to use the force and train Jedi - he's going to have bounties put on his head left, right and centre. Make someone high up in the rebel council a force-phobic politician type and you've got plenty of dramatic conflict.
At the end of the trilogy have a new squad of young Jedi trainees save the galaxy.
Cue loads of cartoons and comics about the adventures of the new Jedi power rangers.
Do you really think these 'new films' wont be 3D remakes of the original trilogy, with robert pattinson as han solo and a cgi chewie?
SBT
Quote from: SmallBlueThing on 31 October, 2012, 10:20:38 AM
Do you really think these 'new films' wont be 3D remakes of the original trilogy, with robert pattinson as han solo and a cgi chewie?
SBT
There'd have to be some major re-writes. Not enough happens in the first half hour of Star Wars to satisfy today's ADHD afflicted youngsters.
Yes, your thoughts betray you. Your feelings for them are strong. Especially for... Disney.
To be fair to Disney (I know...) they've pretty much left Pixar alone, except for putting Lasseter in overall charge of animation which resulted in him sacking all the Disney middle managers who were making the animators' lives miserable ("If you don't draw, you have no place here," he is alleged to have told the bean-counters) and reversing the decision to abandon hand animation...
Cheers
Jim
(http://i.imgur.com/BsCl5.png)
Lucas has sold his soul to Satan. :'(
The last three films were pretty dire and now the 'Rebels leader' has given up the pretense of independence and simply surrendered to another evil empire for a fat fee. Mickey Mouse will appear as Yoda I predict it now and of course no matter how kak the Movies are millions will flock to see them and they'll make zillions of dollars.
Into the garbage chute, Mickey!
Cant be any worse than the last lot of films so will wait and see.
Disney may be evil (although probably no more evil than any other corporation - just more successful) but they make pretty good films.
I really enjoyed Tron: Legacy and John Carter. Wreck it Ralph looks bloody good too.
Certainly a better track record than LucasFilm.
Well im quietly excited abiout this, new blood can only be good i think. Unfortunatly i can see remakes hitting the cinemas before anything original.
Cu Radbacker
That buyout came from Disney! That things corporational!
Quote from: SmallBlueThing on 30 October, 2012, 10:52:36 PMI can see a future in which i have a locked box containing the original six movies, the first 40 issues of the marvel comic, the clone wars cartoons, original chewbacca kenner figure and small-head han solo- and nothing else. And i will only open that box when the family is out, and only then to softly cry.
SBT
And I will scoff at your bulky box as I stroke my compact 3 disk collection of all the Star wars that matters. I never really gave a shit about the 3 prequels, comics, toys, videogames or cartoons, to me it will always just be a glorious trilogy of movies, and that's enough.
I did enjoy the original run of sequel novels about Han and Leia having kids and Luke forming a new Jedi academy, but I won't particularly care if that storyline is junked. I'll probably see the first Disney movie, but if it's shit It'll become like Bond is to me now - not cinema-worthy, but I'll watch when it comes on telly.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 31 October, 2012, 01:26:04 PM
That buyout came from Disney! That things corporational!
Win.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 31 October, 2012, 09:20:48 AM
Don't expect 'untouched' OT Blu-Rays too soon:
Disney's $4 billion deal for Lucasfilm does not include the right to release the original 'Star Wars' -- unless a new deal can be forged with Fox.
Fox owns distribution rights to the original Star Wars, No. 4 in the series, in perpetuity in all media worldwide. And as for the five subsequent movies, Fox has theatrical, nontheatrical and home video rights worldwide through May 2020.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2012/10/30/fox-retain-rights-to-all-existing-star-wars-films/
Ah, i was wondering about this.
Wasnt it the case that Star Wars ANH is a Fox film through and through, but all the others (paid for by Lucas' own money), arent?
Clearly a deal of some kind for the films exists between the two, or Lucas could have fucked off Fox years ago. Though that would have meant leaving behind ANH, i guess.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 October, 2012, 09:01:20 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 30 October, 2012, 08:59:02 PM
So the prophecy is coming true. That story about 9 films in the story arc, which was said about 25 years ago and then denied, may be coming true :o
Looks more like it's going to be 99 films now:
Star Wars Episode 7 is targeted for release in 2015, with more feature films expected to continue the Star Wars saga and grow the franchise well into the future.
Yup they are trying to turn Star Wars into their very own movie franchise that can go on for ever and ever. Something that has only been pulled off by James Bond so far (although Batman also looks to be heading down that road)... and I guess they would buy Bond and Batman too if they could.
Quote from: Mark Taylor on 31 October, 2012, 06:17:31 PM
Yup they are trying to turn Star Wars into their very own movie franchise that can go on for ever and ever.
That implication has only just sunk in. Happy happy joy joy! :D
I'm somewhat optimistic.
I've often said that Lucas might have penned the original story but it was his team that raised it to something epic from Mcquarrie and Ben Burt, Richard chew et al.
I founds the prequels dry and lifeless and can't watch them or the clone wars without wondering what if or penning my own (episode 4 type prequel) in my head.
Hopefully Disney will inject some humour and style that the prequels clearly lacked. I look at John carter that seems to be a application form for the Star wars franchise.
old republic?
i think its prob for the best.
we know that george lucas wont be directing any. as long as he stays on in a creative role. then that'll be fine.
jonathon nolan or whedon to re-write.
del toro, whedon and jackson to direct.
cant go wrong!
although, being realeased in two years. does seem too quick.
the muppets take alderaan! :D
Will no one be able to control the evil of Disney. What next? DC?
At least Lucas will have no input to the future films.
Who have you got to play Grand Admiral Thrawn? or the young cloned Palpatine?
V
Quote from: vzzbux on 31 October, 2012, 09:41:32 PM
Who have you got to play Grand Admiral Thrawn? or the young cloned Palpatine?
Ciaran Hinds and Benedict Cumberpatch.
Scarlett Johansson for Mara Jade, Sean Bean for Talon Karrde, John Hurt for Joruus C'Baoth .
Not that anything resembling the Zahn books is likely to happen.
Quote from: TordelBack on 31 October, 2012, 09:57:25 PM
Not that anything resembling the Zahn books is likely to happen.
Which would be a shame as (for me) the Zahn novels are the best read in the expanded universe.
V
So is that the basis for Episode 7 or not? I've heard directly from LucasFilm and other sources close to the picture, and they say: Definitely not.
"It's an original story," a LucasFilm source tells me.
In other words, forget the Star Wars novels. Forget the graphic novels. Forget everything you think you know about what happens to Luke Skywalker. According to my sources, Episode 7 will literally be nothing you've ever seen or read before from the Star Wars universe.
http://uk.eonline.com/news/358685/star-wars-7-plot-will-be-an-original-story-says-lucasfilm-source
Given that the The Clone Wars cartoon similarly covers ground already well-trodden by comics, books and other cartoons and wilfully contradicts them all, and that one is closely and directly guided by Lucas and has his daughter as a scriptwriter,the odds of any new films respecting what has gone before are approximately 3,720 to 1. Which is a good thing - as we've discovered with TCW, we get two different storylines to enjoy instead of just one. And the post-Jedi EU has really degenerated in the years since The New Jedi Order series - who wants to see their heroes endure such unrelenting misery? Clean slate, moving on...
The only problem with messing with canon authors tend to jump ship. Karen Traviss did this leaving the Imperial Commando's in limbo. Omega squad all at sea and Delta squad having a member MIA.
V
There are so many names mentioned in this thread that I have no idea who they are and dont care. I don't think Disney will give a fuck about them either.
I never got into the whole expanded universe. Though I did read the three Brian Daley Han Solo novels thirty years back.
If it's got lightsabres in it, I'll probably go see it at the cinema though.
I believe the thinking is that if you've bought a spin-off novel, GN, or videogame, then they've already had
your money and they want cash off
everyone else. On the other hand, it's not like even a fraction of the people who will watch a sequel will have bought any of the EU stuff, so why go to the effort of coming up with deliberately contrary stories?
I haven't read any of the post-RotJ EU stuff and have no investment in it, but the SW universe is so sprawling (and the chances of reuniting the original cast a little remote) that I'm not sure why a company which has just purchased a rich and developed universe of characters and properties would then want to immediately invalidate characters from the canon in which their most ardent supporters would already be invested, instead of just making stories that fit into what they're already selling. I took it as read, for instance, that between SW movies the characters were having lots of adventures that the movie audiences would never see, and it's been over 25 years since Jedi, so I would imagine there's elbow room for some or even all of the EU stuff to have happened before the new movie starts.
Quote from: Mark Taylor on 31 October, 2012, 06:17:31 PMYup they are trying to turn Star Wars into their very own movie franchise that can go on for ever and ever. Something that has only been pulled off by James Bond so far (although Batman also looks to be heading down that road)...
Godzilla, Ultraman, Super Sentai, Power Rangers, Kamen Rider, Mothra, Gamera, Wong Fei-Hung, Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, and so on.
Quote from: Professah Byah on 01 November, 2012, 01:18:17 AMGodzilla, Ultraman, Super Sentai, Power Rangers, Kamen Rider, Mothra, Gamera, Wong Fei-Hung, Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, and so on.
This is all completely outside of the point I was making. None of these approach the regularity and consistent popularity of the Bond franchise, which is the sort of ambition Disney has shown for Star Wars going forward. Some are successful and ongoing in other media but not
at all as
movie franchises (Power Rangers for example has produced 2 movies, the last one 15 years ago). Some are not even franchises, as anybody can make movies about them (Wong Fei-Hung). I should have included
Star Trek though.
Quote from: Professah Byah on 01 November, 2012, 01:18:17 AM...I'm not sure why a company which has just purchased a rich and developed universe of characters and properties would then want to immediately invalidate characters from the canon in which their most ardent supporters would already be invested..
Not seen Star Trek XI, have you? ;)
Aside from the Prequels invalidating huges swathes of the post-
Jedi EU already, and
not caring, which Lucas Licensing certainly don't (
one example: publishing novels with one-eyed dwarf Jedi Even Piell as a purge-survivor in at the exact same time as they are killing him in the Clone Wars cartoon and
incinerating his body in lava, just to make sure there's no wiggle room), but equally there's a lot of the post-
Jedi EU which is just plain impacted poo (and lots that is pretty great): endless cloned Emperors, guns that fire hyperspace bullets, a half dozen Death Stars, two of Han and Leia's kids killed (one in his teens, one as a Sith Lord...) The EU also extends over a
century past the timeline of the movies and at this point Luke has adult great-grandchildren.
Clean slate please! Let us EU folk enjoy our EU, and let someone else get on and make new, better films.
I just want a little thing from new Star Wars films...
LOADS OF SPACE BATTLES!!!
:lol:
Good man, George!
(Via Rob Williams on Twitter)
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-deal-george-lucas-will-384947
probably being dim but what does EU stand for?
If they do go for a clean slate from Return of the Jedi onwards, wouldn't it be good to get Hamill, Ford and Fisher to reprise their roles and set the sequel 25 years on? Unlikely I know, but it would be very cool and Disney has pots of money to persuade them.
EU: Expanded Universe. Fancy name for spin-offs.
Brilliant! :lol:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUbH1SEsqiE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUbH1SEsqiE)
Quote from: Mark Taylor on 01 November, 2012, 07:58:13 AMNone of these approach the regularity and consistent popularity of the Bond franchise
That is true only in that Super Sentai (the basis of the westernised Power Rangers) and Kamen Rider have a theatrical film out
every year (and that's just the direct cash-ins on the current tv properties, as they make reboots of older characters, continuations of older tv shows, crossovers with other tv shows - the last few years have seen something like an average of three movies a year for SS alone), and Godzilla has been retired until 2014 but before that had a movie out every
two years. They're more regular than Bond, more popular, and arguably even more profitable given their super-low budgets.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 November, 2012, 09:01:43 AMNot seen Star Trek XI, have you?
Enterprise had already shat the Trek bed long before XI came out, and is tellingly the only part of Nu Trek that is accepted canon.
Quote from: Professah Byah on 01 November, 2012, 04:01:37 PM
Quote from: Mark Taylor on 01 November, 2012, 07:58:13 AMNone of these approach the regularity and consistent popularity of the Bond franchise
That is true only in that Super Sentai (the basis of the westernised Power Rangers) and Kamen Rider have a theatrical film out every year (and that's just the direct cash-ins on the current tv properties, as they make reboots of older characters, continuations of older tv shows, crossovers with other tv shows - the last few years have seen something like an average of three movies a year for SS alone), and Godzilla has been retired until 2014 but before that had a movie out every two years. They're more regular than Bond, more popular, and arguably even more profitable given their super-low budgets.
Yeah, I don't think Disney are aiming for 'big in Japan'... so it's relevant how exactly? What ever my
exact wording might have been, the point of my post was that only Bond (and arguably Star Trek) have pulled off what Disney are trying to achieve with Star Wars. I can't be arsed with arguing about semantics. Insert the world 'worldwide' somewhere in my original post since I evidently invited an irrelevant shitstorm by leaving it out the first time. I'm aware that other properties most Westerners have never heard of are popular elsewhere. Disney are trying to create a worldwide Bond-style franchise that's popular everywhere (or as close as they can get). That was my only point.
I do not live in Japan and have heard of these things, even before the internet, and they all make a lot of money worldwide. Also: Disney owned Power Rangers between 2003-2010. Presumably because they thought it was only big in Japan.
Quote from: Professah Byah on 01 November, 2012, 05:57:55 PM
I do not live in Japan and have heard of these things, even before the internet, and they all make a lot of money worldwide. Also: Disney owned Power Rangers between 2003-2010. Presumably because they thought it was only big in Japan.
Okay, let me know when I can see the next Super Sentai movie at my local multiplex. I must have oddly missed them all despite going to the cinema 3-6 times per month and reading
all of my local movie listings
every week,
and having a wife who's a anime freak and tries to drag me along to anything Japanese that's going.
I would, but the goalposts on your argument would probably just move again.
Now I've moved into the 'cautiously excited' part of the fanboy cycle, I do have one reservation: the loss of Lucas' superb visual sensibility. His well-documented insistence on simple recognisable shapes (so that a child can easily draw an identifiable shape that'll represent pretty much any spaceship in the saga) and colours, and his relentless hands-on winnowing of designs and concept art until it's just-so lends everything a particular coherent look*. I hope someone will take his place in this regard.
I'm also delighted, but not surprised given his track record, to see that George has renewed his pledge to devote his shiny new billions to improving childhood education.
*Except Fode and Beed in TPM, they're a bloody disaster.
Quote from: Professah Byah on 01 November, 2012, 06:43:23 PM
I would, but the goalposts on your argument would probably just move again.
Cool, also let me know when I can get a Super Sentai DVD on Amazon UK for less than £50. Actually they have two, the other one is just a touch under £100. I'm guessing the super worldwide popularity of this series is why they don't bother to distribute them. I didn't move anything, you're just aiming for an
entirely different set of goalposts. I just assumed people get what I'm on about without having to specify it in excruciating detail. I'm a lazy typist I'm afraid.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 November, 2012, 07:07:37 PM
I'm also delighted, but not surprised given his track record, to see that George has renewed his pledge to devote his shiny new billions to improving childhood education.
That is kinda cool of him actually.
What's your take on Hamill possibly returning Tordel? Personally, I'd be pretty happy with it.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 November, 2012, 07:07:37 PM
Now I've moved into the 'cautiously excited' part of the fanboy cycle, I do have one reservation: the loss of Lucas' superb visual sensibility. His well-documented insistence on simple recognisable shapes (so that a child can easily draw an identifiable shape that'll represent pretty much any spaceship in the saga) and colours, and his relentless hands-on winnowing of designs and concept art until it's just-so lends everything a particular coherent look*. I hope someone will take his place in this regard.
I'm sure Disney have experience of these things.
Quote from: Link Prime on 01 November, 2012, 07:15:30 PM
What's your take on Hamill possibly returning Tordel? Personally, I'd be pretty happy with it.
He could return as one of the Hutts.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k4RoKIpnzB4/Tq4i8QAaaSI/AAAAAAAAXZ0/oVJ0pwXuIJM/s320/mark-hamill_2011.jpg)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kM41KuPN9Jc/Tq4i8BI-MHI/AAAAAAAAXZo/gQKopfViUjg/s1600/mark-hamill_oliver-reed.jpg)
What are the chances that Carrie Fisher can work her way back into the golden bikini?
There we were all happily using him as a whipping boy and he goes and gives four billion to educating America so now we have to accept he might be a solid dude? Lucas can't even be a failure right.
Also the crazy speculation has begun: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/59411
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 01 November, 2012, 07:36:23 PM
Quote from: Link Prime on 01 November, 2012, 07:15:30 PM
What's your take on Hamill possibly returning Tordel? Personally, I'd be pretty happy with it.
He could return as one of the Hutts.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k4RoKIpnzB4/Tq4i8QAaaSI/AAAAAAAAXZ0/oVJ0pwXuIJM/s320/mark-hamill_2011.jpg)
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kM41KuPN9Jc/Tq4i8BI-MHI/AAAAAAAAXZo/gQKopfViUjg/s1600/mark-hamill_oliver-reed.jpg)
Let he who is without gluten cast the first stone.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 01 November, 2012, 07:30:21 PM
I'm sure Disney have experience of these things.
No doubt, but are such things readily interchangeable? Is there not an individual eye at play here? Long after George became a hinderance in the script and direction departments, he still gave his films a unique look that went a long way to making them special. Looking at my mound of Making of.. and Art of... books it's always fascinating to see the monstrous amounts of material generated by so many talented artists be trimmed down with such focus to one specific Star Wars look. I know TPM gets a kicking as the nadir of the saga (look to RotS instead, I say), but the look of every environment, prop and costume in that film is just magnificent.
As to Hamill coming back, yeah, definitely. Stick a beard on him, some blue shimmery light effects, and just bask in that glorious voice talent. Anthony Daniels too (he's a star in the current cartoon), of course, but only those two: no Han and Leia, please, and no Lando either.
I'd keep it simple and go forward at least 50 years for a re-established Republic and a different type of Jedi Order as a setting, and have it brought down by some resurgent Sithly baddies. Put a rag-tag bunch of heroes on the back foot and keep them there. The opening trailers for the Old Republic MMO are a good template.
I always thought it was a pretty huge missed oppurtunity not to set up a larger story in the prequel trilogy that could eventually be paid off in the always probable sequels. Now everything will feel somewhat anti-cimactic and bolted on with the central Skywalker/Emperor/Sith saga - and only story thread - having run its course. They tried to remedy this problem with lacklustre clone shenannigans in the comics and 3 films of the Skywalker legacy will have a lot to reboot story-wise.
I expect elder/force-ghost Luke will be having force-ghost chats with Anakin, Yoda, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon about how it used to be.
Quote from: Judge von Boom on 01 November, 2012, 07:38:09 PM
What are the chances that Carrie Fisher can work her way back into the golden bikini?
I'd be happy to help
Quote from: Dandontdare on 01 November, 2012, 08:32:36 PM
Quote from: Judge von Boom on 01 November, 2012, 07:38:09 PM
What are the chances that Carrie Fisher can work her way back into the golden bikini?
I'd be happy to help
I'm sure she'd let you too.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 November, 2012, 07:57:02 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 01 November, 2012, 07:30:21 PM
I'm sure Disney have experience of these things.
No doubt, but are such things readily interchangeable? Is there not an individual eye at play here? Long after George became a hinderance in the script and direction departments, he still gave his films a unique look that went a long way to making them special. Looking at my mound of Making of.. and Art of... books it's always fascinating to see the monstrous amounts of material generated by so many talented artists be trimmed down with such focus to one specific Star Wars look. I know TPM gets a kicking as the nadir of the saga (look to RotS instead, I say), but the look of every environment, prop and costume in that film is just magnificent.
Taste-wise I felt the design in the prequels was mostly a misfire (the 1950's pastiche and Flash Gordon look) though I was fond of the
Wizard of Ozish feel of the meeting with the techno union et al. in SWII. Wish there'd been more of that
feel to the rest of the prequels, with less CGI.
I daresay Dark Horse are slightly worried. As soon as their SW license expires Disney are going to hand it right back to Marvel.
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2012/10/30/disney-acquires-lucasfilm-for-4b-star-wars-comics-to-remain/
That would be a shame as Marvel's licenced stuff is a hit and miss affair these days, with most of their successful adaptations coming from outside the regular freelancer pool.
Some of the DH stuff has been great -from the original Dark Empire with its glorious Cam Kennedy vision of the GFFA that has never been bettered, to the cleverly written Empire and Rebellion and my personal favourite of all the EU stuff Knights of the Old Republic, which was way better than a comics spin-off of a game of a comics spin-off of a movie had any right to be.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 November, 2012, 07:57:02 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 01 November, 2012, 07:30:21 PM
I'm sure Disney have experience of these things.
I'd keep it simple and go forward at least 50 years for a re-established Republic and a different type of Jedi Order as a setting, and have it brought down by some resurgent Sithly baddies. Put a rag-tag bunch of heroes on the back foot and keep them there. The opening trailers for the Old Republic MMO are a good template.
Personally I think the building of a new group of Jedi is the way to go.
I'd start the trilogy with an old, tired Luke. Dissapointed that his dream of a new Jedi order hasn't happened.
I'd have the Galaxy run by a new, seemingly benevolent Empire who have outlawed Force teaching. It would be pretty easy for a Force sceptic politcian to blame the rise and fall of the Empire on a Sith / Jedi battle that everyone else got dragged into. Banning force teaching to stop the Jedi and Sith ever returning would seem fairly reasonable to most people who put their trust in technology.
Of course you would then have to create a threat in this new universe that inspires Luke to try again, creating a new band of Jedi-in-training who are outlaws - Luke as an old Robin Hood with a bunch of merry Men essentially.
Quote from: JamesC on 02 November, 2012, 10:46:09 AM
Personally I think the building of a new group of Jedi is the way to go.
I'd start the trilogy with an old, tired Luke. Dissapointed that his dream of a new Jedi order hasn't happened.
I'd have the Galaxy run by a new, seemingly benevolent Empire who have outlawed Force teaching. It would be pretty easy for a Force sceptic politcian to blame the rise and fall of the Empire on a Sith / Jedi battle that everyone else got dragged into. Banning force teaching to stop the Jedi and Sith ever returning would seem fairly reasonable to most people who put their trust in technology.
Of course you would then have to create a threat in this new universe that inspires Luke to try again, creating a new band of Jedi-in-training who are outlaws - Luke as an old Robin Hood with a bunch of merry Men essentially.
Interesting idea. It might be the best idea really since Disney could complete ignore anything Lucas has done to disrupt continuity.
That's gotta be better than the bloody Cars/Star Wars crossover.
Quote from: TordelBack on 02 November, 2012, 07:28:08 AM
Some of the DH stuff has been great
Despite being a bit of a Dark Horse junkie back in the day, i never got their Star Wars stuff.
Didnt think much of Dark Empire, TBH. Seem to recall swopping those, at a comic fair, for loads of the old Marvel ones. Mind you, the Marvel run wasnt much cop towards the end, either. The first 45ish marvel issues were pretty brilliant, though - and are regulary re-read.
If Dark Horse do lose the SW licence, itll hurt them badly, i think.
I recall trying to get into the DH comics when they brought out a UK title to go alongside their Aliens and Predator books, but it seemed impenetrable stuff from the off. Never really been able to get into Star Wars comics since, though I did like the blackly comic tone of the Boba Fett Omnibus (apart from one story that went on forever and seemed utterly charmless), and the old Marvel books are a stark contrast - accessible, florid, and emphasizing fun and adventure over DH's rather dour dramatics.
Dark Empire was fantastic to look at but the story was shite.
The villain was a clone of the emperor - how naff can you get? Boba Fett's ressurection was really cheap too.
Quote from: JamesC on 02 November, 2012, 05:13:37 PM
Dark Empire was fantastic to look at but the story was shite.
The Light and Darkness War, which i recently bought for the first time, is exactly that as well.
Same team, same result.
Quote from: JamesC on 02 November, 2012, 05:13:37 PM
Dark Empire was fantastic to look at but the story was shite.
I'm slightly biased towards that plot as I wrote, illustrated and played it out almost verbatim in 1983/4, although in my version it was Luke's student Hammerhead who saved him (Leia figures were never cool) and I didn't have any Rebel Ewoks. I used one of my brother's GI Joes as the cloned Palpatine, with a home-cut black vinyl poncho as robes.
This guy in fact:
(http://www.maximumawesome.com/images/gi-duke.jpg)
I think you'll agree I wasn't far off the official version of 15 years later:
(http://www.rebelscum.com/potf2/POTF2EUcloneemperorfr.jpg)
It was a very nice surprise to see Cam Kennedy's infinitely superior illustration of what was, let's face it, the most obvious-possible schoolkid follow-up to Jedi.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 02 November, 2012, 01:04:58 PM
That's gotta be better than the bloody Cars/Star Wars crossover.
darth mater?
What did any DH comics readers think of Star Wars Legacy? That would be a good place to start I thought and had a few elements people here have suggested would be good such as a new Empire, new Sith threat, rag tag bunch, Yuzhan Vong invasion and a lead hiding from and struggling with his Skywalker lineage that included Luke popping up as a force spirit. Not sure where that is even if its still going now as Star Wars started infuriating me with the exception of Marvel comics and the OT. Did I hear right that episode 7 will be set 20 years or so after ROTJ?
I alwasy liked Legacy but the main "Luke" character Cade is a sort of combination of Solo and Luke (which I think was Geroge's original idea-or was that when Luke was a girl :-\),anyway I kinda hope it's not the Vong I aways found them irritating and they dropped a moon on Chewie. Bastards.
I think the Yuhzann Vong would be ideal for a new Triolgy. The living weapons they employ would look amazing on the 'Big screen', and they're not afraid of brutal hand to hand/sword combat. And 'Luke', by this time, is pretty much unbeatable!
The Sith are a little bit overused IMO. A lot of the stories end up reading the same way.
Cheers :)
Legacy was terrific fun, if somewhat overwrought, and I agree, not a bad general model for the sequels, although in the details it relies far too much on existing EU continuity for a new movie. I only had two problems with it: (1). The ludicrous numbers of (largely Ostrander-created) Jedi who not only survived Order 66 but then hung around for 130 years keeping their heads down through the Empire, the New Republic, the Vong invasion, the Second Galactic Civil War etc. etc. until it was time to show up in Legacy; (2). Cade himself, the Kurt Cobain meets Neo meets Wolverine of the Star Wars saga. Pass me a deathstick, brah.
As the Yuuzhan Vong, I really loved that story, I thought it was suitably ambitious in its scope and its original ideas about the Force, and it was fairly well sustained over its admittedly uneven 20-or-so book execution. There were however real problems with misunderstanding the scale of a galaxy*, but probably not as daft as an army of only 1.2 million clones supposedly fighting a galactic war...
Unfortunately I suspect extra-galactic aliens are too Science Fiction-y to play well in what is essentially a fantasy movie (with lasers).
* A single species from one planet goes to another galaxy, and then comes back in a handful of worldships and has somehow sufficient numbers to conquer an entire galaxy of 10s of 1000s of worlds? Similarly it's unfortunate that its effects were virtually hand-waved away afterwards - the trillion inhabitants of devastated Coruscant mostly escaped off world? In what, might I ask?)
The Vong are more like something out of Warhammer 40k who worship pain and scar themselves ritually as well as a caste system that makes the Empire look like the Green Party. Maybe too brutal for Disney family audience.
Still with some stunning imagery as in the link maybe they would make a directors choice.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yuuzhan_Vong
Matthew Vaughn rumoured to direct Ep VII?
Not too sure about that...
Neil Blomkamp would be an inspired choice though!
HARRI(SON)'S GAME (http://www.rte.ie/ten/2012/1106/fordh.html)
This is just hot air at the moment, but I'm very much against Old Han. And I liked Crystal Skull.
And yet, even as I typed that, I imagined seeing Han and the Falcon in action again and my heart rose... Hope, the great betrayer
Quote from: TordelBack on 06 November, 2012, 10:35:58 PM
This is just hot air at the moment, but I'm very much against Old Han. And I liked Crystal Skull.
And yet, even as I typed that, I imagined seeing Han and the Falcon in action again and my heart rose... Hope, the great betrayer
Yeah... I hear you man.
And then I remember the great Han Solo short story when, as an old man, he takes the Falcon out for a spin and encounters an equally aged Boba Fett...
As long as he's not married to Princess Leia and instead out roaming the galaxy, I'll be happy.
I wonder if Chewie dies!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 07 November, 2012, 12:24:44 AM
As long as he's not married to Princess Leia and instead out roaming the galaxy, I'll be happy.
In Nikolai Dante's way? ;)
I believe the Onion had a nice little "Harrison Ford shrugs and smiles as he realises he hasn't made a good movie for twenty years" headline.
Regardless of Disney being at the helm, a lot of these things mentioned (Vong) don't sound very Star Wars to me. Much like the mooted gangster live action TV series. Star Wars doesn't need to be made grown up and adult and scary.
But I tend to limit myself to the films (to the extent that I don't even know the names of the characters that aren't actually named in the films themselves) and games directly spun from the films. Anything else is just people "doing their version of Star Wars" and doesn't count for me.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 07 November, 2012, 12:23:47 PMStar Wars doesn't need to be made grown up and adult and scary.
^^This^^. SW should always be kid-friendly - parts of Revenge of the Sith overstepped those bounds AFAIC, but in general one of the best things about the Prequels was that they stayed away from grim'n'gritty trench-coated gun-porn.
I'm a purist in that I don't consider anything outside the originals (oh alright, I suppose I'll allow the '95 SE's, terrible Jabba aside) as anything other than optional diversions, but that doesn't mean I can't or don't enjoy them. I've had the story of the Clone Wars and the eventually restored Republic in my head for three decades, my own scribbled chronicles filled uncounted notebooks and most memorably a comics account that took up a whole roll of wall-paper, and if the Prequels and the EU and a bookshelf of RPG sourcebooks didn't dislodge them I doubt the Sequels will.
Oscar-Winning Scribe Michael Arndt Penned Treatment For Next Three 'Star Wars' Fims; Will Work On 'Episode VII' (http://www.deadline.com/2012/11/next-star-wars-films-get-treatment-by-hunger-games-sequel-scribe-michael-arndt/#utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)
So that seems like good news, and an indication that actual heart rather than wooden histrionics might be where they're heading. I haven't seen Toy Story 3, but I'm a big fan of Little Miss Sunshine (one of that handful of films I am compelled to watch all the way through every time I catch a glimpse of it on the telly), and if Episode 3 had ended with Palpatine performing Super Freak in front of the Senate I might have enjoyed it a lot more.
The more I think about all this, the more I hope the new movies change the current tone of SW entirely. There are aspects to the Clone Wars cartoon that have suggested this is something Lucas himself has been moving towards, with the very enjoyable Droids episodes last year, the current arc focusing on Temple Younglings, combined with the genuine emotional kicks achieved by feeding fan-favourite Clones into the compacter at almost-Wagner-like random and the recent surprisingly nuanced 'I prefer to call it an insurgency' epsiodes. A lower key, with both fun and conflict derived from likeable characters rather than forced slapstick and vague external threats that are really just plot fiat in disguise.
Doings are certainly a-transpiring, and a man can dream.
Steven says no (http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/nov/12/steven-spielberg-star-wars-film), but Luke and Leia say yes. (http://furiousfanboys.com/2012/11/mark-hamill-and-carrie-fisher-will-appear-in-episode-vii/)
So they must be going for story of the Solo brats? :-\
Favourite rumour of the day,
DARTH VADER TO BE RESURRECTED (http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/357610/Darth-Vader-to-be-resurrected)
A zombie Vader. Cool. :geek:
Itll happen. Maybe not the zombie bit, but itll happen.
*cough* cloning *cough*
Vader had his sperm frozen.
Was that from when he was attacking the rebel base on Hoth? The snow was pretty deep, i guess.
Quote from: Judge Jack on 13 November, 2012, 10:18:13 PM
Was that from when he was attacking the rebel base on Hoth? The snow was pretty deep, i guess.
How you can find sperm in Ice planet?
:D
Quote from: Goaty on 13 November, 2012, 10:28:18 PM
Quote from: Judge Jack on 13 November, 2012, 10:18:13 PM
Was that from when he was attacking the rebel base on Hoth? The snow was pretty deep, i guess.
How you can find sperm in Ice planet?
:D
Taste.
It could have been worse.
(http://static.hypable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/george-lucas-captain-eo-2.jpg?f0f9df)
Oh no wait... I was wrong.
(http://static.hypable.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/george-lucas-disney-end.jpg?f0f9df)
It's worse.
It's even worse than that
(http://www.lolbrary.com/content/152/george-lucas-buys-star-trek-33152.jpg)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 13 November, 2012, 12:01:49 AM
Favourite rumour of the day,
DARTH VADER TO BE RESURRECTED (http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/357610/Darth-Vader-to-be-resurrected)
NOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.............!!!!!
:lol:
Ah yiz are all such wags. This could turn out to be as good as the Prometheus thread!
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p147/the_legendary_shark/Millenterprise_JarJar_OMG_1701FU.jpg)
Quote from: TordelBack on 14 November, 2012, 12:51:09 PM
:lol:
Ah yiz are all such wags. This could turn out to be as good as the Prometheus thread!
I wonder what happens to that thread and that poster...? :-\
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 14 November, 2012, 03:24:00 PM
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p147/the_legendary_shark/Millenterprise_JarJar_OMG_1701FU.jpg)
[arsehole mode]All wrong. Saucer section going a totally differend direction to the main body. It's going to tear itself apart.[/arsehole mode]
V
arsehole
That's no saucer section, it's an offset detatchable multi-mode attack unit, you muppet. Don't you know nuffin'?
You nerds don't know anything. Clearly,the engine nacelles are in fact touching the Falcons outer rim (oo-er missus) causing a imbalance in the qwangy field resulting in de-polarisation of the sub section manifold thus causing an anti matter imbalance resulting in a hyperspace distortion destroying the multiverse for several parsecs.
And it's green.
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 15 November, 2012, 09:40:04 PM
You nerds don't know anything. Clearly,the engine nacelles are in fact touching the Falcons outer rim (oo-er missus) causing a imbalance in the qwangy field resulting in de-polarisation of the sub section manifold thus causing an anti matter imbalance resulting in a hyperspace distortion destroying the multiverse for several parsecs.
Well
obviously. How else would a stable Throtchett field be generated during switch-slapping manoeuvres at high warpulse factors during a dark energy storm?
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 15 November, 2012, 10:03:51 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 15 November, 2012, 09:40:04 PM
You nerds don't know anything. Clearly,the engine nacelles are in fact touching the Falcons outer rim (oo-er missus) causing a imbalance in the qwangy field resulting in de-polarisation of the sub section manifold thus causing an anti matter imbalance resulting in a hyperspace distortion destroying the multiverse for several parsecs.
Well obviously. How else would a stable Throtchett field be generated during switch-slapping manoeuvres at high warpulse factors during a dark energy storm?
Ah, pure technobabble. Your place in the engine room of any Federation starship is assured.
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 15 November, 2012, 10:03:51 PM
Quote from: Zarjazzer on 15 November, 2012, 09:40:04 PM
You nerds don't know anything. Clearly,the engine nacelles are in fact touching the Falcons outer rim (oo-er missus) causing a imbalance in the qwangy field resulting in de-polarisation of the sub section manifold thus causing an anti matter imbalance resulting in a hyperspace distortion destroying the multiverse for several parsecs.
Well obviously. How else would a stable Throtchett field be generated during switch-slapping manoeuvres at high warpulse factors during a dark energy storm?
Simple. Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow.
Throtchett field strength is inversely proportional to the density of neutrino flux during the lamda event collapse.
Of course all this is nothing if you've got a high enough midi-chlorian count.
Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow? During a dark energy storm? Are you mad? The quangoscopic fractures to the spacetime flux capacitors would cause an instant implosion in the hypernodes connected to the niggle valve, causing a meganova-level detonation of the dilithium saddle.
This has turned into the best thread ever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsGWdGhYKtY
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 15 November, 2012, 10:33:09 PM
Reverse the polarity of the neutron flow? During a dark energy storm? Are you mad? The quangoscopic fractures to the spacetime flux capacitors would cause an instant implosion in the hypernodes connected to the niggle valve, causing a meganova-level detonation of the dilithium saddle.
Mad? Like a bat.
Dark energy quanta are essential to the gogangul tangent needed for proper calibration of ultraluminal boseno cotan. Spacetime collapse is halted at the quarkless limit as velocity approaches infinite megabonbons.
Consider the equation:
(http://www.kesselsupholstering.com/images/BT/CodeCogsEqn.gif)
You can see the gamma existence clearly allows for macroquangic variance.
That's all very well if you're using old fashined plasmotic regulators in your quark baffles but these upgraded Mk IX Crumplewitt & Thrunge force-driven neutron impellers are not affected by such restrictions and are immune to microquangic variances due to an extra layer of insulating synthibestos in the flow grips.
Have you even read the manual?
Read the manual. I wrote the manual.
Perhaps you should have a review of Quiselplegg's Modern Hypnoveloelectroquinzums and You.
But you didn't write the revised manual like what I did.
Also, I read 'Modern Hypnoveloelectroquinzums and You' when I was a foetus. A simplistic tome, containing much that is outmoded, inaccurate or just plain wrong. Fortunately, that particular book was replaced by 'Dick and Jane Go Faster Than Light', which also contains much that is outmoded, inaccurate or just plain wrong but at least has a very good index and a sheet of free stickers.
Ah. You are referring to the old 3,945,0954,234th edition. I was referring to the 3,945,0954,235th edition. A vastly improved book with references to wubble and scratch'n'sniff plaques for every equation.
I agree the index still sucks.
Loving this. :D
Quote from: Fisticuffs on 16 November, 2012, 04:22:05 PM
Loving this. :D
Indeed. And what's really remarkable is that it makes more sense than the Political Thread.
Now just wait a parsec, what's all this talk of manuals. You mean to say you're still reading and writing? Jeez grampa, get with the times.
I assimilate information using a phased-quantabulising*-ultra--interferrometrici-nuero-synaptic-cogni-former-unit. That's a P-quinscfu to you Mr Cretin the Caveman, because all the cool technology uses catchy, easy to remember acronyms.
*Note the correct, un-yankified spelling, quantabulising not quantabulizing
You old skoolers and your amusing ways. I assimilate infor by having it beamed via a nano quark shark directly into my drinking frond.
Pfft, hipster
Quote from: pops1983 on 16 November, 2012, 07:49:52 PM
Pfft, hipster
When i was a hipster cats were still a fish.
When I was a hipster, fish were still germs.
When I were a hipster, we used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.
Pampered, thats what you were, then.
Quote from: pops1983 on 16 November, 2012, 08:30:08 PM
When I were a hipster, we used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.
Yeah, and you tell that to the kids t'day, they won't believe you!
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 19 November, 2012, 04:08:02 PM
Quote from: pops1983 on 16 November, 2012, 08:30:08 PM
When I were a hipster, we used to 'ave to get up out of shoebox at twelve o'clock at night and lick road clean wit' tongue. We had two bits of cold gravel, worked twenty-four hours a day at mill for sixpence every four years, and when we got home our Dad would slice us in two wit' bread knife.
Yeah, and you tell that to the kids t'day, they won't believe you!
They got it easy today with their fancy pants technology and their ipads-i-phones and i-want. In my day communication was by smoke signal and if you got burned a bit,or eaten by a sabre tooth
you were grateful.
You had fire? You lucky so and so.
We had to rely on artificial telepathy (guesswork).
Well fire might be stretching it a bit in that it was usually someone on fire. Often whoever was weakest or whatever stranger we could drag a screaming to the pit of sacrifice.
I still do it now and then for old times sake.
Whoops I may have said too much. :-\
What else is the 5th of November for?
David Tennant has thrown his name in the hat as wanting to star in one of the new films.
V
ROCK THE KASDAN (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/rorschachsrants/news/?a=70326)
Quote from: vzzbux on 20 November, 2012, 08:41:19 PM
David Tennant has thrown his name in the hat as wanting to star in one of the new films.
V
Jedi Master Who?
There's a series in that - The Last Jedi, similar to The Last Detective, the ITV drama starring Peter Davison as Dangerous Davies.
I'll get me coat...
Quote from: vzzbux on 20 November, 2012, 08:41:19 PM
David Tennant has thrown his name in the hat as wanting to star in one of the new films.
Really? How he did well far from Doctor Who... his last film :-\
(http://www.dt-forum.com/images/easyblog_images/47/film/poster.jpg)
There was fan-fiction story with poster, but to featured our Karl in Star Wars...?
(http://i.imgur.com/4xKME.jpg)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 21 November, 2012, 09:55:19 AM
ROCK THE KASDAN (http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/rorschachsrants/news/?a=70326)
That's... I don't know
what that is. But it's certainly something.
Quote from: Goaty on 21 November, 2012, 04:04:08 PM
There was fan-fiction story with poster, but to featured our Karl in Star Wars...?
Can't say I'm very excited about Darth Crate...
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 22 November, 2012, 05:45:24 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 21 November, 2012, 04:04:08 PM
There was fan-fiction story with poster, but to featured our Karl in Star Wars...?
Can't say I'm very excited about Darth Crate...
Unless it was filled with Carlsberg!
Stereotyping yourself, eh? Are sure, tis Thursday night!
Foreshadowing?
(http://www.maniacworld.com/star-wars-x-wing-launch.jpg) (http://www.maniacworld.com/star-wars-x-wing-launch.html)
Star Wars X-Wing Launch - Video
(http://i.imgur.com/BJTYu.jpg)
Oh they maybe got director for Ep 7 - Matthew Vaughn
That rumour's been doing the rounds for weeks.
Apparently, the 'confirmation' comes from the actor Jason Fleming, who 'blurted it out' during an interview. If you ask me it sounds like he was joking about the rumours.
Having now watched the interview clip, Flemyng does have a definite 'Oh shit!' look on his face when the penny drops...
If the Vaughn thing is true, then safe to say that he's probably just jeapordised his potential role!
"Sir" Derek Jacobi wants to be in Star Wars. http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/11/26/derek-jacobi-wants-star-wars-role
I hope they film it in Leavesden then I can quit work and live the dream of being an extra on Star Wars and have an incredibly rare collectors model made after me but capitalists Disney get the money. :( >:(
To those who could give some fucks:
J.J. Abrams to Direct STAR WARS: EPISODE VII (http://collider.com/j-j-abrams-star-wars/)
J.J. Abrams Set to Direct Next 'Star Wars' Film (Exclusive) (http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/jj-abrams-set-direct-next-star-wars-film-exclusive-74596)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 24 January, 2013, 09:56:26 PM
To those who could give some fucks:
J.J. Abrams to Direct STAR WARS: EPISODE VII (http://collider.com/j-j-abrams-star-wars/)
J.J. Abrams Set to Direct Next 'Star Wars' Film (Exclusive) (http://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/jj-abrams-set-direct-next-star-wars-film-exclusive-74596)
Interesting.
That looks very encouraging..
Good spot, not a bad choice either. Let's hope he can woprk the same magic on SW that he did on ST.
Hope he gives Karl Urban a role - he'd make a great Han Solo type, or villain.
Quote from: radiator on 25 January, 2013, 12:44:13 PM
Hope he gives Karl Urban a role - he'd make a great Han Solo type, or villain.
Yep, he got the look;
(http://imageshack.us/a/img267/1214/gatec.jpg)
The character the immediately springs to mind is Corran Horn form I, Jedi. I don't know why, but I think Karl could do that sort of character justice.
Quote from: radiator on 25 January, 2013, 12:44:13 PM
Hope he gives Karl Urban a role - he'd make a great Han Solo type, or villain.
I wanna see Bryan Cranston in it. Mind you, I wanna see Bryan Cranston in EVERYTHING. If the
Dredd TV show happens, and it's after
Breaking Bad finishes - I think we've got our small screen
Dredd right there!
Quote from: ChickenStu on 25 January, 2013, 03:32:47 PM
I wanna see Bryan Cranston in it. Mind you, I wanna see Bryan Cranston in EVERYTHING. If the Dredd TV show happens, and it's after Breaking Bad finishes - I think we've got our small screen Dredd right there!
Cranston is more of a Chief Judge.
Yeah, Cranston's got a great Dredd voice, but he's knocking on a bit.
Quote from: radiator on 25 January, 2013, 04:10:39 PM
Yeah, Cranston's got a great Dredd voice, but he's knocking on a bit.
Aren't we all.
Quote from: radiator on 25 January, 2013, 04:10:39 PM
Yeah, Cranston's got a great Dredd voice, but he's knocking on a bit.
From what I gather he's knocking on a bit in the comic too. In the
Dredd movie I get the feeling he's supposed to be fairly young-ish. He doesn't seem to have yet quite aquired the fearsome reputation he has in the comic book. His colleagues know he's the shit, but word doesn't quite seem to have got the rest of Mega City One yet.
Maybe if the proposed TV show focuses more toward the end of his career - someone like Cranston would be appropriate...
What proposed TV show??
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 25 January, 2013, 08:25:18 PM
What proposed TV show??
Didn't I read somewhere that Alex Garland had a TV show in mind?
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 25 January, 2013, 08:25:18 PM
What proposed TV show??
Interweb rumour is wonderful.
Wasn't there going to be an animated series based on one sector house with Dredd popping in every now and again. It is going to be called 'The Pitts'. Karl Urban is going to voice all the male characters while Sandra Dickinson will voice Anderson.
V
Quote from: ChickenStu on 25 January, 2013, 08:31:34 PM
Didn't I read somewhere that Alex Garland had a TV show in mind?
He said that he thought it was a great idea. I don't think he was suggesting that he would be producing it. I think he was just talking form the perspective of a viewer.
Abrams did a good job of channelling ET for SUPER 8 so maybe he can channel EMPIRE for this. (Appreciate that some people didnt like SUPER 8 for exactly that reason.)
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 25 January, 2013, 08:25:18 PM
What proposed TV show??
It was proposed by one-half the internet.
The other-half agreed.
Disney has begun to outline its plans for the Star Wars franchise, with the studio promising a new adventure in the galaxy far, far away every year from 2015.
The studio made the announcement at the CinemaCon festival, explaining that the films would alternate annually between the ongoing sequence of "Episodes" and a series of standalone movies.
We still haven't had any confirmation as to which characters will be getting the spin-off treatment, although rumours have suggested that Yoda, Boba Fett and Han Solo movies are already in the works.
It's a strikingly bold proposal from Disney, although recruitment has already begun on the screenwriting front, with Lawrence Kasdan and Simon Kinberg thought to be hard at work on the spin-offs.
Meanwhile, J.J. Abrams Star Wars: Episode VII will be the studio's opening salvo, with that film pencilled in to open in 2015 and kick off the subsequent domino effect. Looks like we'll have plenty to discuss over the coming months and years...
So Disney are doing Avengers in the Star Wars universe? Make's sense as Avengers has become one of the highest grossing franchises of all time.
While I completely understand given the amount Disney has paid for the franchise (God that's becoming an increasingly depressing and all too common term) the desire to crank these out, will one a year be rather over egging things?
Guess Marvel are seeing it work for them and figure Disney see Star Wars as equally exploitable. Me I'm not convinced there's quite the same depth to the mythology (don't chase me out of town!) and things could get tired quite quickly.
nah plenty of depth in the Star Wras universe, haven't you always wanted to see how Max Rebo and his band ended up playing in Jabba's Palace? ;)
Cu Radbacker
I'm looking forward to the one entitled 'the secret diary of a mouse droid'
Quote from: Radbacker on 18 April, 2013, 09:19:15 AM
nah plenty of depth in the Star Wras universe, haven't you always wanted to see how Max Rebo and his band ended up playing in Jabba's Palace? ;)
Cu Radbacker
Thought that was well tell in Star Wars Tales graphic books?
QuoteThought that was well tell in Star Wars Tales graphic books?
actually i believe it was recently thats probs where i got the idea :D
How about diary of a Rancor Keeper?
Cu Radbacker
Will Salacious Crumb be getting a spin-off? :lol:
The sarlacc show. More Star Wars should (hopefully) be good for everything but my wallet.
Disney's thinking too small. They should be thinking Perry Rhodan where a new novel is churned out every week by the monkeys writing staff.
Also what about the direct to video market. A new video bio of every imperial soldier killed on each of the Death Stars.
They could do a Discovery Channel type programme. For example, I always wanted to know how to herd Nerfs.
David Attenborough presents, "Twilight on Hoth", complete with Wampa cave search.
Bruce Parry integrating into Sandpeople culture. I wonder what strange drugs THEY take?!?
Y'all are joking, but this illustrates perfectly just how deep the mythos is. I reckon they can manage one good movie idea a year, unless of course they totally mess it up like they've done with the Marvel movies... Oh, wait...
Harrison Ford will NOT answer your Star Wars questions:
http://youtu.be/7T0vs9gYydo (http://youtu.be/7T0vs9gYydo)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lE7MqKuYkXE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lE7MqKuYkXE)
Patton Oswalt's Star Wars fillibuster.
Hehe...
(http://v.cdn.cad-comic.com/comics/cad-20130419-37cfa.png)
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 April, 2013, 03:34:54 PM
unless of course they totally mess it up like they've done with the Marvel movies... Oh, wait...
Huh? The Marvel movies have been hugely successful and, by and large, popular with the fans. I certainly thought Avengers was a blast and I'm looking forward to Iron man III.
Quote from: Dandontdare on 19 April, 2013, 11:04:56 AMQuote from: Richmond Clements on 18 April, 2013, 03:34:54 PMunless of course they totally mess it up like they've done with the Marvel movies... Oh, wait...
Huh? The Marvel movies have been hugely successful and, by and large, popular with the fans. I certainly thought Avengers was a blast and I'm looking forward to Iron man III.
I had hoped the "oh wait" at the end would have conveyed the sarcasm inherent in my post..!
I for one am pretty much at the end if my tether with fan boys proclaiming that a movie series will be rubbish before the movies have even started filming.
And using the fact that Disney will make money from them as some kind of accusation..? Do they understand how the movie business works? Don't they remember why we don't have a Dredd sequel..?
...and relax...
QuoteI had hoped the "oh wait" at the end would have conveyed the sarcasm inherent in my post..!
Read it back. It makes it sound like you're implying the Marvel movies are terrible.
As for the Star Wars films - I'm cautiously optimistic, mainly with regards to Episodes 7 onwards (I'm hardly brimming with excitement at standalone Boba Fett or Yoda films). But if Star Trek II turns out to be underwhelming, a lot of people are going to freak out!
No, it doesn't.
Well, not unless you've never heard of people using the 'Oh, wait' thing before.
Lucasfilm didn't spare the horses churning out product every year, albeit on different platforms, and Disney are doing the same thing except focusing on the one outlet instead of many. Like the various platforms, each film will have a separate working team and money ain't an issue so I don't see too much that's different other than a consolidation of the brand into something a broader audience would pay for and enjoy.
If only we had the same complaint; a 2000AD film every year is a malady I could force myself to live with.
Surely Disney didn't have much - if anything - to do with any of the Marvel movies so far apart from making late-in-the-day distribution deals? They leave Pixar to their own devices, too, and that seems to have worked out okay.
The only people I feel any empathy for are the poor fuckers who lost their jobs in the Lucasarts restructuring, and the fans and creators of the Dark Horse comics, but the amount of bitching and whining done about Star Wars stuff in the last few years, I would have thought the consensus would be that the only way was up. They've already made lousy Star Wars movies and it wasn't the end of the world, so who really cares if JJA makes another of his lens-flared-to-fuckery "make noise not sense" Space Movies? If they're making one every year, chances are that one of them will be good sooner or later.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 19 April, 2013, 11:12:29 AM
Quote from: Dandontdare on 19 April, 2013, 11:04:56 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 18 April, 2013, 03:34:54 PM
unless of course they totally mess it up like they've done with the Marvel movies... Oh, wait...
Huh? The Marvel movies have been hugely successful and, by and large, popular with the fans. I certainly thought Avengers was a blast and I'm looking forward to Iron man III.
I had hoped the "oh wait" at the end would have conveyed the sarcasm inherent in my post..!
I for one am pretty much at the end if my tether with fan boys proclaiming that a movie series will be rubbish before the movies have even started filming.
And using the fact that Disney will make money from them as some kind of accusation..? Do they understand how the movie business works? Don't they remember why we don't have a Dredd sequel..?
...and relax...
I always imagine anything you say is sarcastic, so I thought this was like a double bluff! :lol:
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 18 April, 2013, 03:17:26 PM
Bruce Parry integrating into Sandpeople culture. I wonder what strange drugs THEY take?!?
They toot on those wee sachets of silica you find in the box when you buy a new pair of trainers - they lock away moisture. A serious drug fiend like Parry wouldn't let that bullshit warning they print on the packet about not ingesting the contents stop him from respecting the Sand Peoples' ancient culture, beliefs and rituals by getting properly ripped to the tits.
Regarding Disney's plans, this must be how
Star Trek fans felt in the late eighties; broke and resigned to the inevitability of it all. I have a theory that the apparently limitless growth and exponential inflation experienced by capitalist economies in the last thirty years is a result of nerds' inexhaustible appetite for the tat spawned by their pet sci-fi/fantasy franchises.
Quote from: Professor James T Bear on 19 April, 2013, 04:41:06 PM
Surely Disney didn't have much - if anything - to do with any of the Marvel movies so far apart from making late-in-the-day distribution deals? They leave Pixar to their own devices, too, and that seems to have worked out okay.
The re-structuring of Lucasfilm - not only LucasArts - and their change of tack I imagine was initiated by Disney since at the same time as the layoffs at Lucasfilm there were also layoffs at Disney after an internal review of the company. The same with cancelling the Clone Wars as they integrated the LF animation dept. into their own while more staff were given their pink-slips. Whereas Marvel studios were a company built from the ground up, Lucasfilm is the opposite and in Disney's opinion, needed pruning. I'm sure there's many more micro-changes in management we're not privy to.
Interesting that Pixar also began life as a Lucasfilm subsidary and now both are Disney's.
On the creativity side: the prequels spent over 2 decades in gestation and still turned out crap so too much time is not always a good thing if the work goes uncriticised. At least now there's a collective of creative people making decisions
together this time instead of a single worshipped mono-geek chanting
this is my vision, this was always how it was meant to be.
http://uk.movies.yahoo.com/photos/the-coolest-star-wars-7-fan-art-posters-slideshow/star-wars-fan-art-photo-1448354803.html
Some lovely some er, not so IMHO.
Dear me ... Can't say I thought much to any of those.
Well I never, it seems that the next film is going to be made in the UK, for release in 2015.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 11 May, 2013, 06:32:52 AM
Well I never, it seems that the next film is going to be made in the UK, for release in 2015.
Yeah, I saw Dan and Mike VK getting excited on Facebook earlier, about them pulling a creative together in the UK.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 11 May, 2013, 06:32:52 AM
Well I never, it seems that the next film is going to be made in the UK, for release in 2015.
Providing a link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-22491025) is only good manners, John. I'm surprised you didn't include this juicy titbit:
QuoteChancellor George Osborne met executives from Disney-owned Lucasfilm in London earlier this year to discuss the plans and the production is thought to be eligible for a tax break ... Mr Osborne said: "Today's announcement that the next Star Wars film will be shot and produced in the UK is great news for fans and our creative industries, and it is clear evidence that our incentives are attracting the largest studios back to the UK. I am personally committed to seeing more great films and television made in Britain."
In recent years hundreds of films have benefitted from tax relief, which requires that at least 25% of the total production expenditure takes place in the UK. Relief can be claimed on production expenditure in the UK, up to a maximum of 80% of the total budget
Tax-dodging bastards. Now you have form for appearing in films for no fee, John, you should offer your services to the struggling fan film makers at Disney. If they cast Ray Winstone you would be a shoo-in for some stunt double work:
WOOZ THE JED-I? I'm glad that a UK shoot means the long tradition of being jolted out of the narrative of Star Wars films when you spot someone from a soap or children's telly will be maintained.
Nice to see them returning back to UK. I just hope this old skool vibe continues on in the quality of the movie itself.
Quote from: sheldipez on 11 May, 2013, 12:49:15 PM
Nice to see them returning back to UK. I just hope this old skool vibe continues on in the quality of the movie itself.
Just like it did last time.
http://starwars.com/news/new-animated-series-star-wars-rebels-coming-fall-2014.html
New animated series.Set during the "hunt da Jedi" era.
Great news! Here's hoping it resolves/continues the stories of Ahsoka and Rex from TCW at some level.
More Randy Savage is the way to go, surely?
I would've provided a link but I heard that titbit on the radio ;)
Amidst the crappy rumours of the Expanded Universe's Solo twins being the leads in the new trilogy, these have been uncovered, the McQuarrie prototypes:
(http://geektyrant.com/storage/0998-post-images/c3postarwars7778444423.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1370826742656)
(http://geektyrant.com/storage/0998-post-images/oureNDw-Imgur.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1370826823196)
(http://geektyrant.com/storage/0998-post-images/star_wars_27.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1370826860508)
No wonder Daniels was so hot in the desert if he still had that hair when filming.
That Darth Vader reminds me of the Nazi demons from American Werewolf.
I wish the prequels looked like this: THE STAR WARS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RX1HJMV3SYE)
Ill be snagging those, when they land in September.
I'll be waiting for a TPB/Graphic novel of that. It's one of those things that I wish they did sooner. At 35 it'll be fun, but I would've eaten that shit up when I was 16! :)
The AT-ATs are coming:
(http://www.thenational.ae/storyimage/AB/20140415/ARTICLE/140419329/EP/1/1/EP-140419329.jpg&MaxW=460&imageVersion=default)
(http://www.thenational.ae/storyimage/AB/20140415/ARTICLE/140419329/AR/0/AR-140419329.jpg&MaxW=460&imageVersion=default)
(http://www.thenational.ae/storyimage/AB/20140415/ARTICLE/140419329/EP/1/2/EP-140419329.jpg&MaxW=460&imageVersion=default)
(http://www.suave.net/~dave/images/atat/ref/atats08.jpg)
http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/star-wars-episode-vii-evidence-in-abu-dhabi-desert (http://www.thenational.ae/arts-culture/film/star-wars-episode-vii-evidence-in-abu-dhabi-desert)
-sigh- Ah well, I suppose it's not just a roundabout painted green.
Hey, you remember that bit that everyone loves with the big robot camels? We should do that, they'll love it! Hasbro specifically asked that we include stuff they already have moulds for. But look, we don't want to accused of being unoriginal, let's mix it up... let's have them on that planet that Luke's from!
I feel like it's going to be a long year of successive disappointments... :'(
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 April, 2014, 08:02:02 AM
-sigh- Ah well, I suppose it's not just a roundabout painted green.
Hey, you remember that bit that everyone loves with the big robot camels? We should do that, they'll love it! Hasbro specifically asked that we include stuff they already have moulds for. But look, we don't want to accused of being unoriginal, let's mix it up... let's have them on that planet that Luke's from!
I feel like it's going to be a long year of successive disappointments... :'(
That's just a
bit negative. I'm neutral about it. Of course there will be x wings, tie fighters and other ships. What they are doing with them is key.
In fact, it's more cynical of them to load the films with new vehicles to pad out everything from lego to "owner's manuals".
Your post is like saying "I bet they have boasters" or "sigh, they'll cast a pretty girl"
Then again, you're probably right
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 April, 2014, 09:35:53 AM
That's just a bit negative.
You're right, of course. I'm just trying to keep my expectations where they belong. It's just when the first real production snoop shot we see is two things we've seen before...
I want it to be new, and I know it's not going to be. Even the sight of poor Carrie Fisher having shed about 5 stone depresses me.
Is there any word on whether they're definitely setting bits on Tatooine? The rot in the original trilogy set in with returning to what's meant to be a backwater, never mind the prequel trilogy's tedious fixation on it.
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 April, 2014, 08:02:02 AM
Hey, you remember that bit that everyone loves with the big robot camels?
Aren't they really elephants?
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 17 April, 2014, 02:45:56 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 April, 2014, 08:02:02 AM
Hey, you remember that bit that everyone loves with the big robot camels?
Aren't they really elephants?
You're both wrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_(Star_Wars)#Origin_and_design)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Paraceratherium_size.jpg)
That's a beautiful thing.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 April, 2014, 02:59:26 PM
You're both wrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_(Star_Wars)#Origin_and_design)
Hah. Except I'm not. I was referring to the fact that the stop-motion animators used the walking action of elephants (http://scifi.about.com/od/starwarsglossaryandfaq/a/Star-Wars-Glossary-At-At-All-Terrain-Armored-Transport.htm) for the movements of the AT-ATs. It's the four forward-bending knees, y'see.*
Cheers
Jim
*Yes, I know all quadrupeds have forward-bending knees and the appearance of the back-bending hind-leg is the actually the ankle and elongated foot, but you know what I mean...
Quote from: JPMaybe on 17 April, 2014, 01:31:04 PM
Is there any word on whether they're definitely setting bits on Tatooine? The rot in the original trilogy set in with returning to what's meant to be a backwater, never mind the prequel trilogy's tedious fixation on it.
Jabba was there. I'm not sure I even knew it was supposed to be Tatooine until my nerd king pal told me so. I just assumed it was another desert planet - your standard types of sci-fi world are desert and/or quarry planet, ice planet, water planet, and Lucas even remembered to include a new one (on me, at least) with the forest moon of Endor.
That's not why the sequels are probably going to be pish.
I had no problem with the retunr to Tattooine in RotJ - it at least made sense, as, yeah, Jabba was there.
The Jabba's Palace scene (in it's OG unaltered cut) is one of my favorite Star Wars sequences. Where the scene gets fishy is the extremely PG sail barge battle scene - all that lightsaber slashing and no limbs go flying, let alone any blood splatter...
C'mon we all know that a lightsaber cauterises the wound.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 17 April, 2014, 03:26:52 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 April, 2014, 02:59:26 PM
You're both wrong (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walker_(Star_Wars)#Origin_and_design)
Hah. Except I'm not.
And my link proves it - if only I'd read more than one paragraph of it! HOIST BY MY OWN PETARD. :'(
...but we all know the real truth...
(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/1231516/at-at-dog-o.gif)
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 April, 2014, 08:02:02 AM
-sigh- Ah well, I suppose it's not just a roundabout painted green.
Hey, you remember that bit that everyone loves with the big robot camels? We should do that, they'll love it! Hasbro specifically asked that we include stuff they already have moulds for. But look, we don't want to accused of being unoriginal, let's mix it up... let's have them on that planet that Luke's from!
I feel like it's going to be a long year of successive disappointments... :'(
To be fair that could easily be wreckage/set dressing.
Quote from: James Stacey on 17 April, 2014, 03:39:54 PM
C'mon we all know that a lightsaber cauterises the wound.
Isn't there some EU story that explains why Walrus Man - excuse me Ponda Bubu or whatever - has a bloody stump?! Anyway, there should have been body parts flying left and right! Not saying this made me hate it - as a kid I never noticed - but as an adult I eye-roll a little bit.
Quote from: sauchie link=topic=37350.msg821866#msg821866
Jabba was there.
Yeah true enough, it's mentioned at the end of tESB that that's where they're going, and I like the Jabba's palace sequence, but along with RotJ's reuse of the death star it goes towards making RotJ the most disjointed and unoriginal of the three. I don't think it bodes well that they're going back there yet again.
Quote from: TordelBack on 17 April, 2014, 10:01:56 AM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 April, 2014, 09:35:53 AM
That's just a bit negative.
You're right, of course. I'm just trying to keep my expectations where they belong. It's just when the first real production snoop shot we see is two things we've seen before... I want it to be new, and I know it's not going to be. Even the sight of poor Carrie Fisher having shed about 5 stone depresses me.
I must admit that when I saw these 'snoop's', rightly or wrongly, I felt the same way Tordels.
The excitement I feel for these new films, and the build-up, is pretty much zero, tbh.
But you never know, they may be fun..
Time will tell.
I'm actually really looking forward to these new films....
... but I'll admit to being a bit disappointed in seeing the return of the AT-ATs. And what appears to be Tatsfield again.*
On the other hand, context is everything as we know from a certain other film popular around here.**
*And yes that whole sequence in RotJ was execellent. And while I wasn't a fan of bringing back another Death star and a battle run sequence like the first film, I found new themes to like in that film.[spoiler] The theme of redemption and subverting the practitioners of good and evil in particular. I.e. Luke the hero is goaded into striking the Emperor down in cold blood. (He fails but is tried.) And Vader was the one to save the day. Weirdly that often gets criticised as it seems some people prefer him to be a one dimensional villain, but that's hardly original.[/spoiler]
** The Raid. No.... the other one like it. Put away your lawgivers, I'm just kiding...
RotJ has the my favorite final act of any of the originals from "Its a trap" onwards its just spectacular, the final Showdown between Luke and Vader and the Emperor is also the best Light sabre battle and has the best music of the original trilogy (IMHO anyway), I absolutely love it when Luke looses his shit over the sister comment and just comes out swinging all darksided up but then realises what's happening (he's falling to the Darkside and the Emperors plan is coming to fruition) and he pulls back becoming a true Jedi in refusing to strike the Emperor down in anger, Vaders redemption is all but assured at that stage and somehow they make the whole looking to the emperor then to his son just before he picks old prune face up and tosses him down the shaft seem so emotional. And while I'm not a big fan of the Ewoks these days I loved them as an 8 year old, savage little f*&kers that they are. I always thought the plan to save Han was not a very good one and kind of relied on a bit too much coincidence so the opening is one of my least favourite parts of the trilogy.
Shit I think I've got to go watch this again today it's been a few years.
Cu Radbacker
Quote from: Radbacker on 18 April, 2014, 05:14:03 AM
I absolutely love it when Luke looses his shit over the sister
... in an ironic inversion of the trash compacter scene, where he gets Leia
out of the shit.
Scat Wars? Return Of The Jobbie? I was always asking my dad whether we could rent
Flesh Gordon from the video shop, so it makes sense that there were porno versions of the Lucas films doing the rounds too.
Yeah, the last third of Jedi is superb, the Throne Room stuff being a plain text as open to fannish projection and embellishment as any sequence in movie history (and obviously it helps that I like Ewoks too). It's also easy to forget just how accomplished the combo of effects and storytelling in the space battle is, there was nothing remotely like it for years: even the scene of the Falcon manouvering through the rebel fleet is extraordinary.
QuoteAnd what appears to be Tatsfield again.*
Hee hee, I just noticed that.
Autocorrect, you can be annoying sometimes but, now...?
... I think I love you.
As an older fan I dont hold out much hope for these as they cant have the same impact that the originals did on my 7 year old brain. One of my favourite memories is walking down Hope st after seeing Empire with my head exploding. Lukes hand chopped off, Vaders his dad, Hans been captured!?!?! All the while my dads chortling away.
So as a dad all I hope is that the new films can capture some of that magic and mess my kids heads up :)
I was excited initially, but since then I've seen Super 8 and ...Into Darkness and thought both were gash.
The only way that Episode VII stands a chance of being good is if they keep the story dead simple. All the better if they let go of all the pompousness and self-importance of the prequels and get back to the pulpy feel of the original movies. In that way the rumour that EpVII will be a [spoiler]jailbreak[/spoiler] plot sounds a little reassuring.
And for the love of god, please no knowing nods and winks and reverent visual references to previous films or any of that crap. It's ruining films these days. Do something fresh.
Quote from: radiator on 18 April, 2014, 08:32:11 PM
And for the love of god, please no knowing nods and winks and reverent visual references to previous films or any of that crap.
You must unlearn what you have learned.
I think I accepted the inevitability of nudge-nudge wink-wink reference crap as soon as the project was announced. That thing you remember? Here it is again, aren't you clever to notice!
Quote from: radiator on 18 April, 2014, 08:32:11 PM
And for the love of god, please no knowing nods and winks and reverent visual references to previous films or any of that crap. It's ruining films these days. Do something fresh.
You're asking for rain not to be wet here, it's just going to happen. It'd be nice if they don't go OVERBOARD with it but it's inevitable.
I have absolutely no problem with AT ATs or various other military equipment being used in the new films - makes perfect sense to me. There must have been loads of Imperial hardware knocking about after ROTJ.
I'd like to see some new stuff too though.
However good or bad the new films are I'm going to take some satisfaction in the expanded universe and all its force-repelling slugs, Mary-Sue redheads, stupid S&M aliens, clone-Emperors, omnipresent superweapons, emo-pirate Jedi, and almost complete lack of grandeur and imagination being flushed down the canon-hole.
Oh well, you can count me in as perhaps one of the few that is genuinely excited and looking forward to episode 7. Can't wait for some cast publicity shots. Have no problem with recycling of vehicles and locations of the script is good and im excited to see the continuing adventures of Luke skyjacker no matter how old or what he weighs! I think this one has real promise and I think they will avoid the problems that the prequels suffered from.
Skyjacker?
Well trivia fans that was the original name for the character before it evolved into skywalker.....nothing to do with my mobile phones auto correct.
Quote from: SIP on 19 April, 2014, 05:54:25 PM
Oh well, you can count me in as perhaps one of the few that is genuinely excited and looking forward to episode 7. Can't wait for some cast publicity shots. Have no problem with recycling of vehicles and locations of the script is good and im excited to see the continuing adventures of Luke skyjacker no matter how old or what he weighs! I think this one has real promise and I think they will avoid the problems that the prequels suffered from.
^^This.
Apart from skyjacker..!
Quote from: SIP on 19 April, 2014, 05:54:25 PM
Oh well, you can count me in as perhaps one of the few that is genuinely excited and looking forward to episode 7. Can't wait for some cast publicity shots. Have no problem with recycling of vehicles and locations of the script is good and im excited to see the continuing adventures of Luke skyjacker no matter how old or what he weighs! I think this one has real promise and I think they will avoid the problems that the prequels suffered from.
How refreshing to read some positivity! I watched Empire this afternoon with the litt'lun and it's got me super excited!
Quote from: SIP on 19 April, 2014, 05:57:22 PM
Skyjacker?
Well trivia fans that was the original name for the character before it evolved into skywalker.....nothing to do with my mobile phones auto correct.
I thought it was Starkiller
Ah, rumbled. Okay, it was my autocorrect. :-)
my little boy loves a bit if star wars and I think he will be around 7 when this next film comes out. Can't wait to take him to the cinema for his first big screen star wars experience.
I'm normally a reasonably positive person, doubly so when it comes to Star Wars, but I'll be positive about this film when I see one thing about it that inspires anything other than dismay. All I've seen thus far is an ill-advised exhuming of beloved characters, a helm with at best a very mixed record, and now further evidence that equine necro-flagellation is the order of the day. The argument that it will be better than the prequels because it will be full of people and stuff from the originals ignores the fact that the prequels were full of people and stuff from the originals. New Star Wars films should be new Star Wars films.
So far the best thing I can say about it is that Disney are a high quality operation and they have a huge investment to protect
Funnily enough it is the inclusion of mark Hamill and the Luke skywalker character that is raising my enthusiasm (and I'm a fairly easy audience for this anyway as I'm a star wars fan since sitting in the cinema in 77). It seems perfectly logical to me that we should revisit Luke and there are obvious parallels with Luke now and obi wan from new hope. I can live without han and leia in episode 7 (but I certainly don't mind) but I have been hoping for another film with Hamill since the end of the prequels. I think the people they have involved in this, and probably because of the reduced influence of Lucas (and I'm not one of the Lucas backlash crowd) , that this will be a solid outing.
Kids are basically the target audience for this - the sardonic nerds don't really get a look in. I mean - look what JJ did to Star Trek.
I'm not sure kids are the only target audience this time around. The bringing back of the original cast members would suggest to me that they are also aiming to attract the paintball 70s and 80s audience alongside the toy buying youngsters (though let's face it the original audience probably buy as many "collectibles"......or is that just me).
Quote from: SIP on 20 April, 2014, 12:09:45 AM
I'm not sure kids are the only target audience this time around. The bringing back of the original cast members would suggest to me that they are also aiming to attract the paintball 70s and 80s audience
Only for show really - as in Star Trek the casting is just scenery here. The names do the work but the story will be an action-packed lazy rehash with no substance and unnecessary love triangles. Bums on seats - money in pockets and everybody's happy if slightly empty. MARK MY WORDS. I AM A DISGRUNTLED MAN ON A FORUM AFTER MIDNIGHT ON A SATURDAY.
Ha, I could understand cynical on this subject to be honest......lot of water under the bridge. But on thus subject it takes a lot to dampen my enthusiasm, just have to much love for it (a bit like Dredd). Make my words sir, its gonna be great. :-)
The auto correct on my phone is depressing me.....must read my messages before pressing "post".
Quote from: SIP on 20 April, 2014, 12:16:42 AM
just have to much love for it (a bit like Dredd).
Dredd is something we can all agree on - and has a far better track record. The warm childlike glee I have for Star Wars is nothing compared to the vast cavernous continuity cake and huge plathora of awesome glory that Dredd has got. I'm giddy at the thought of diving into the next prog crafted by people who give a toss - whereas the glossy multi-billion franchises seem cold and distant. Star Wars fans seem to love Star Wars far more than anyone involved ever appears to.
THE ORIGINAL CLONE WARS SERIES BY GENNDY TARTAKOVSKY BEING THE OBVIOUS EXCEPTION. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTmIwOLfUlM)
Yes, I can understand anyone being cynical on the subject, I really can. Star wars was some of the best parts of my childhood and is a shared language (still to this day) with my brothers so it really does take a lot to destroy it for me.....they haven't succeeded yet! So, for me and my older brother at least, this next film is still a reason for excitement.
(http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/unquote.png)
On SFX; http://m.sfx.co.uk/2014/04/29/star-wars-episode-vii-cast-announced/ (http://m.sfx.co.uk/2014/04/29/star-wars-episode-vii-cast-announced/)
STAR WARS EPISODE VII CAST ANNOUNCED
New faces! Old faces! Feel the Force!
Feel that great disturbance in the Force just now?
That's the internet reacting to the official announcement of the cast for Star Wars Episode VII.
Here's who's returning from the original classic trilogy: Harrison Ford (Han Solo), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Anthony Daniels (C-3PO), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2)
And here are the new faces joining that galaxy far, far away: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson and Ming the Merciless himself Max von Sydow.
That's a hugely promising cast. Driver, Boyega and Gleeson are all people I've predicted big things for for a long while.
It was speculated that May the 4th (Star Wars Day) would see the cast announcement, so either they've done it early to head off leaks, or they're going to do something else for that day. My prediction: they'll announce the title.
Gleeson, of course, played 'Clan Techie' in Dredd, and was actually at the fan screening if those that were there on the night remember. I remember him coming over to chat with the producer when I was outside with John and Alex but was too starstruck already to say hello and that I was a fan.
Quote from: radiator on 29 April, 2014, 06:41:38 PM
Gleeson, of course, played 'Clan Techie' in Dredd
Appearing in a sci-fi film which makes money will be a nice change for him. Not sure I approve of the new more informal and relaxed look for the Jedi council chamber, but it's good to see their meetings are still chaired by a tiny, oddly wizened creature with a silly voice:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmZ91xmIgAETmY1.jpg:large)
Nice to von Sydow included. I wonder who he'll play.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/original_zps4c72421f.jpg)
As long as all the Bad Guys continue to speak with English accents and most of the Good Guys are American, I'm okay with this.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 29 April, 2014, 07:00:58 PM
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/original_zps4c72421f.jpg)
If nothing else comes of this thing, at least we'll have had that.
How is the promising new cast going to breathe with all the wrinklies eating up the running time? And where the hell is Billy Dee Williams? He's one of the few I'd have liked to see back.
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 April, 2014, 07:34:26 PM
And where the hell is Billy Dee Williams?
This deal is getting worse all the time. Due to a chronic back problem he's just finished up his stint on
Dancing with the Stars so he's got an opening- at least for a role that requires him to play
relaxed and cool.
(http://static.tvgcdn.net/MediaBin/Galleries/Shows/A_F/Da_Dd/Dancing_with_the_Stars/season18/dwts-season-18-613.jpg)
Andy The Circus too, maybe they'll have a big Monkey in the film or an Ape or two?
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 29 April, 2014, 07:43:05 PM
(http://static.tvgcdn.net/MediaBin/Galleries/Shows/A_F/Da_Dd/Dancing_with_the_Stars/season18/dwts-season-18-613.jpg)
I see what they did there with the production design, costume, and hair. Please tell me Bruno Tonioli came on dressed as C3P0 and did a soft shoe shuffle.
One thing great about that is Han Solo and Chewie's back!
Obviously set before [spoiler]Chewie died[/spoiler] in the novels!
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 29 April, 2014, 08:27:33 PM
Obviously set before [spoiler]Chewie died[/spoiler] in the novels!
What? Nooooo!
(http://i.imgur.com/VE4seeV.jpg)
It was heroic and he saved [spoiler]one of Han and Leia's children but in doing so sacrificed himself.[/spoiler]
Well at least they've doubled the number of females in the main cast compared to the other Star Wars movies
Quote from: sauchie on 29 April, 2014, 06:57:54 PM
Quote from: radiator on 29 April, 2014, 06:41:38 PM
Gleeson, of course, played 'Clan Techie' in Dredd
Appearing in a sci-fi film which makes money will be a nice change for him.
:lol:
Kinda guaranteed to get a sequel, as well...
Well we maybe need Gleeson for the Dredd sequel...
as [spoiler]Chopper [/spoiler]
;)
Quote from: Goaty on 29 April, 2014, 09:15:42 PM
Well we maybe need Gleeson for the Dredd sequel...
as [spoiler]Chopper [/spoiler]
;)
I kinda felt he was a [spoiler]Chopper[/spoiler] analogue all along anyway.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 29 April, 2014, 09:44:27 PM
I kinda felt he was a [spoiler]Chopper[/spoiler] analogue all along anyway
The eternal rebel who's been sticking two fingers up to authority since he was in short trousers? Jock storyboarded a sequence of Chopper taping up his board, which never made the film.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 29 April, 2014, 08:27:33 PM
Obviously set before [spoiler]Chewie died[/spoiler] in the novels!
Yes, well I wouldn't worry too much about that (http://starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page.html):
QuoteIn order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe.
Quote from: sauchie on 29 April, 2014, 09:51:58 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 29 April, 2014, 09:44:27 PM
I kinda felt he was a [spoiler]Chopper[/spoiler] analogue all along anyway
The eternal rebel who's been sticking two fingers up to authority since he was in short trousers? Jock storyboarded a sequence of Chopper taping up his board, which never made the film.
A heavily edited analogue I might add. I kinda assumed he started out that way but was heavily hacked down by editorial.
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 April, 2014, 09:52:21 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 29 April, 2014, 08:27:33 PM
Obviously set before [spoiler]Chewie died[/spoiler] in the novels!
Yes, well I wouldn't worry too much about that (http://starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page.html):
QuoteIn order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe.
And thank god for that!
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 29 April, 2014, 10:15:23 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 April, 2014, 09:52:21 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 29 April, 2014, 08:27:33 PM
Obviously set before [spoiler]Chewie died[/spoiler] in the novels!
Yes, well I wouldn't worry too much about that (http://starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-new-page.html):
QuoteIn order to give maximum creative freedom to the filmmakers and also preserve an element of surprise and discovery for the audience, Star Wars Episodes VII-IX will not tell the same story told in the post-Return of the Jedi Expanded Universe.
And thank god for that!
Inevitable, but very welcome.
Fortuitously, 2 of Episode VII's cast, Domhnall Gleeson & Oscar Isaac, are the leads in Alex Garland's directorial 'debut', Ex Machina (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_2), which should be out later this year.
(http://afterthecut.com/wp-content/themes/bftheme/images/2014/04/download1.jpg)
Everyone seems to be suggesting that Max Von Sydow will [spoiler]be the villain, but I actually think there's a chance he'll be playing Obi Wan Kenobi in spirit form - the persistent rumour is that one of the female leads is a descendent of Obi Wan, and unless I'm going mad there's a very slight resemblance between Sydow and Alec Guiness.[/spoiler]
Quote from: radiator on 29 April, 2014, 11:54:15 PM
Everyone seems to be suggesting that Max Von Sydow will [spoiler]be the villain, but I actually think there's a chance he'll be playing Obi Wan Kenobi in spirit form - the persistent rumour is that one of the female leads is a descendent of Obi Wan, and unless I'm going mad there's a very slight resemblance between Sydow and Alec Guiness.[/spoiler]
Could be wrong but I think they would prefer and could manage that task much better via FX and reference footage -like Marlon Brando in
Superman Returns (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWEsxvq6RFY)- without needing to supplant an aged and shimmering [spoiler]
Alec Guinness[/spoiler] with the equally great
Max Von Sydow. It would seem a waste of such a great actor and the chance of a new, fresh character.
Exciting choices for the cast.
Rumour-wise, [spoiler]I'm not too fond of the idea of Ben having a child. I like to think of the surviving Jedi in a long, miserable, monk-like exile. There's something very noble about Yoda and Ben being on such shitty planets, reflecting on their failures and serving a higher purpose. The thought of Obi Wan shagging about seems a bit wrong. [/spoiler]
Cor, I'm surprised at how stupidly excited I am about these films and how much they are pinging around the vast, empty space inside my head!
Quote from: Pete Wells on 30 April, 2014, 07:59:31 AMThere's something very noble about Yoda and Ben being on such shitty planets...
Mudhole? Slimy? My home this is!
But you're not wrong. [spoiler] The idea of Ben submerging the sandworm while he's supposed to be atoning for his failure by watching over Luke doesn't work for me: more so if you take his love-life in
The Clone Wars into consideration. I'd be surprised - but not shocked - if this was an element in VII.[/spoiler]
Unless he porked Jabba as atonement for his sins.
Obi Wan-Bam-Thankyou Mam!
***gets coat***
Honest I don't see how the new trilogy would be good?
As the real star of original Trilogy is Stormtroopers!
"This new film is going to be a disaster. Look at the mess the last movie made for example; it took these beloved characters, this fully realised world, this wonderfully woven back story and reduced it all to a flashy, shallow and ultimately disposable piece of rubbish"
-Me, before I actually saw Dredd
Tweet said the title is: Order Of The Jedi
It's supposedly a rumour, Goaty.
Quote from: Goaty on 01 May, 2014, 07:19:47 PM
Tweet said the title is: Order Of The Jedi
I heard
The Jedi Supremacy
The rumoured casting notes - i think - just said '[spoiler]a descendent' of Obi Wan Kenobi, so it could be a niece, nephew, whatever.[/spoiler]
Personally, I'm really not keen on the idea of focusing the new films around the offspring of the original cast of characters - or in fact a 'new jedi order' - it seems like the laziest, most obvious idea imaginable.
Quote from: radiator on 01 May, 2014, 08:59:14 PM
Personally, I'm really not keen on the idea... a 'new jedi order' - it seems like the laziest, most obvious idea imaginable.
Well, if it doesn't have lightsabres then it won't be a Star Wars movie. But at most it needs a
Return of the Jedi amount of lightsabres.
Not like the prequels with every prick who can barely tie his shoe laces waving one around.
"the empire strikes back...again!"
Divergence of the Hunger Force
Jedi J20: 20 Years Later, in which the surviving cast members from the old films return to get killed while the sexy new cast members watch stiffly from the sidelines. If Jamie Lee Curtis was in this, I might buy a ticket, but I'm not looking forward to Busta Rhymes in the found footage sequel.
Well J.J. Abrams did what with Star Trek by kill off half of Federation, Vulcan, and three TV Series (Generations, Deep Space Nine and Voyager) so he will be on butcher job on Star Wars, as likely that Harrison Ford want his Han Solo kick the bucket :)
Back to Empire Strike Back dark moments?
And batson, I said the tweet said, not it official so chill out!
Quote from: Goaty on 01 May, 2014, 10:15:22 PM
Well J.J. Abrams did what with Star Trek by kill off half of Federation, Vulcan, and three TV Series (Generations, Deep Space Nine and Voyager)
Except he cleverly had his cake and ate it. Old Star Trek, TNG, DS9 and Voyager all still existed in old Spock's timeline. It all still happened.
PS: What is it with you and Batson? get a room.
"Star Wars" news, Mark Hamill posted a tweet after a release of the cast performing a table read earlier this week. The tweet was:
"UK table read- I was knocked out by the diverse & extraordinarily talented new cast members. WOW they're good! The saga is in superb hands." — Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) May 1, 2014
Finally, it has also been revealed that "Slumdog Millionaire" and "The Newsroom" star Dev Patel tried out for the film as recently as three weeks ago, but ultimately didn't get a role.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 17 April, 2014, 01:31:04 PM
Is there any word on whether they're definitely setting bits on Tatooine? The rot in the original trilogy set in with returning to what's meant to be a backwater, never mind the prequel trilogy's tedious fixation on it.
There'll definitely be cameos from Tatooine, but I read that they'll be filming those scenes in Abu Dhabi and not Tunisia like prior (which is a shame).
I really like the Tatooine setting, even in those blasted prequels. So much character in the place, and probably my favourite Star Wars planet.
Quote from: Mabs on 02 May, 2014, 09:12:59 AM...probably my favourite Star Wars planet.
"Convenient".
Quote from: Goaty on 01 May, 2014, 10:15:22 PM
And batson, I said the tweet said, not it official so chill out!
Sorry, misread that as being something official, like.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 01 May, 2014, 10:33:52 PM
PS: What is it with you and Batson? get a room.
We're both Geordies, it's in our nature.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 01 May, 2014, 09:26:44 PM
Quote from: radiator on 01 May, 2014, 08:59:14 PM
Personally, I'm really not keen on the idea... a 'new jedi order' - it seems like the laziest, most obvious idea imaginable.
Well, if it doesn't have lightsabres then it won't be a Star Wars movie. But at most it needs a Return of the Jedi amount of lightsabres.
Not like the prequels with every prick who can barely tie his shoe laces waving one around.
Exactly this.
The Jedi are boring po-faced wankers and their impact is diminished and diluted in proportion to the number of them on screen. The focus of the original trilogy was on the (relatively) ordinary people's fight against the Empire, not the Jedi, and that's (yet another) way in which the prequels got it wrong.
Luke's discovery of a wider world and his spiritual journey and evolution from jittery farm boy in Star Wars, to cool, composed Jedi master in ROTJ was an important and compelling arc of the films, not loads of muppets running around waving flourescent tubes.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 02 May, 2014, 12:24:23 PM
not loads of muppets
Let's not start that again, eh?
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Spaceghost on 02 May, 2014, 12:52:49 PM
What did I say???
A few weeks ago, King Trout - from the safety of his bolthole in socialist Canadia - provoked the biggest outpouring of nerd rage I've witnessed by describing the non-human cast members of Farscape as close relations of Kermit and Gonzo The Great.
Well.........he's got a point.
And with Star Wars, it's arguably completely accurate.
I liked the Jabba's palace muppets.
Some me who are paid to write down what they think wrote about new
Star Wars, and their thoughts are similar enough to my own to save me the bother of typing something up myself:
QuoteI'm not sure Abrams, or anyone else, can bring much inspiration to proceedings while playing in what is by now a pretty regulated story world. His Star Trek reboot was brisk and entertaining, but still nostalgia with a fresh sheen; that impersonality was even more evident in its sequel, Star Trek into Darkness ... Abrams is a no-nonsense craftsman, which is why he can slide so easily between film franchises. But the first Star Wars films were kissed by nonsense, by palpable love of their own silly mythology ... I can't help thinking "the new Star Wars" should be, well, nothing to do with Star Wars
.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/03/do-we-need-another-three-star-wars-films-jj-abrams-jedi
Some interesting thoughts there.
Well, here's the full trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_soLH5MWGOg) for the Rebels placeholder cartoon, presumably designed to ease everyone into an OT frame of mind. Looks quite fun in a light way, and I do like the updated McQuarrie stylings. Could use a little less of the contemporary phraseology, I suppose.
Having watched Star Wars with the kids last night after a visit to a SW con-thing, I'm in a marginally more positive mood as far as the upcoming film is concerned - in that I realised how much I've missed the old gang.
Attack of the Clones is on ITV2 at the moment; still awful stuff. What did Harrison Ford say to Lucas: George you can write this s**t; but you can't speak it- I'm paraphrasing by the way. The dialogue is clunky at best and I had a good chucklel at Space Ghosts Jedi are po faced w**nkers post, which sums it up better than I possibly can. :D Z
I'm weird in that I actually rather like Clones. I do find the dialogue and acting rather bad though.
I kinda thought maybe Clones.. wasn't too bad - I've not seen it in a good while, but no, its a right bleedin' stinker. Yikes.
And is it just me, or are some of the alien characters seemingly based on racial stereotypes? Yikes, again.
Yep dodgey 30's stereotypes. To be fair to Lucas however he's anything but racist. I think the characteristics are part of the entire retro feel he was trying to engender in this movie especially. Z
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=117841
chewie on this
Nice! Always was a great costume.
Another rumour title would be... The Ancient Fear
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/67205 (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/67205)
The rumour that the film's [spoiler]villain will not be a dark jedi[/spoiler] bodes well imo. Let's hope this restraint and willingness to do something a bit different extends to other aspects of the film, not to mention that [spoiler]dark jedis are played out and narratively tricky given how RotJ ends[/spoiler].
As for the title, it sounds fine but I really couldn't give a monkeys what they call it. People will bitch and moan whatever it is called, and way too much emphasis is placed on titles, which become meaningless after you've heard them a few times (remember the fuss about the Nintendo Wii? or a sci fi comic called 2000ad?). They could call it 'Star Wars: Big Floppy Cocks' and after a few weeks everyone would get used to it.
Quote from: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 05:49:41 PM
They could call it 'Star Wars: Big Floppy Cocks'
They would have cast Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender if that was the case.
Quote from: sauchie on 06 May, 2014, 05:52:49 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 May, 2014, 05:49:41 PM
They could call it 'Star Wars: Big Floppy Cocks'
They would have cast Tom Hardy and Michael Fassbender if that was the case.
That's a deffo on Ewan McGregor so.
I've only seen The Pillow Book on the small screen, so I'll take your word for it.
Quote from: Goaty on 06 May, 2014, 04:40:04 PM
Another rumour title would be... The Ancient Fear
Must be referring to the geriatric cast.
SWVII: Fear The Ancient Floppy Cocks.
Sounds more like Spaceballs II.
Just been reading the comments on articles about Denis Lawson turning down the chance to reprise Wedge in Episode VII - they're absolutely disgusting. The guy is a solid working actor who has no desire to have his entire existence defined by 5 lines in some green-screen nonsense. It's one thing for Ford to sign back on, they probably marched an entire assault group of AT-ATs full of mouse-bucks into his agent's, but Lawson actually has to work for a living, and possibly even enjoys his life well away from signing plastic models of himself on the convention circuit.
And these... people are allegedly fans? What has the internet done to that word.
Anyway, they could just get Colin Higgins instead and no-one would notice (again):
(http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh7u7ysYiL1qc823io1_400.jpg)
Quote from: TordelBack on 14 May, 2014, 07:07:42 PM
they could just get Colin Higgins instead and no-one would notice (again)
Was that supposed to be Wedge? Never picked up on that at all, probably because they look, sound, and act differently. Lawson's doubly cursed by fandom, since he also has to put up with obsessives (of a similar age to
Star Wars nuts) asking him where they can find the red telephone box from
Local Hero.
Unless they offered him a million just to make a cameo or a better role, he's dead right, -and the nerds can fuck-off- but for me Lawson will always be Eddie Cass (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijqIjR90mcU) from Dead Head (http://bloodymurder.wordpress.com/2013/09/17/dead-head-1986/).
Quote from: sauchie on 14 May, 2014, 07:28:33 PM
Was that supposed to be Wedge? Never picked up on that at all, probably because they look, sound, and act differently.
It's a truth stranger than the fiction it appears in: The Tale of Fake Wedge (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Fake_Wedge#Behind_the_scenes). I think the fact that
three actors were required to portray his barely-there character in a single film probably sums up the whole experience for him.
Even as an obsessive Star Wars fan, and one who loves the Wedge character in his many incarnations, Lawson for me will always be all-purpose Urqhuart from
Local Hero.
do you trust the source mr rennie??
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/05/18/star-wars-spies-report-chewbacca-and-stormtroopers-in-the-snow/
Star Wars: Force for Change - A Message from J.J. Abrams
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfNiC9iKM0Q (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfNiC9iKM0Q)
I refuse to be impressed by his ingratiating drivel just because he's pushing a charity, or because he's using practical effects. Fecker hasn't even got a neck-beard.
Ah well, at least there's a muppet for Trout to enjoy. I suppose I should be heartened to see a live-action version of TCW's Master Sinube's (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tera_Sinube) species (one of my favourite TCW characters), but somehow I'm not.
I'm just waiting for confirmation of proper real stormtroopers
This isn't the sequel you're looking for.
http://youtu.be/ZL-72qjCpSE (http://youtu.be/ZL-72qjCpSE)
Quote from: von Boom on 22 May, 2014, 08:58:54 PM
This isn't the sequel you're looking for.
http://youtu.be/ZL-72qjCpSE (http://youtu.be/ZL-72qjCpSE)
and yet still better than the holiday special
Phantom Menace?
Carrie Fisher on Paul o'Grady tomorrow! hopefully some snippets!
Quote from: mogzilla on 29 May, 2014, 06:03:20 PM
Carrie Fisher on Paul o'Grady tomorrow! hopefully some snippets!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d6AOaplWT8
I've got a bad feeling about this
Tatooine set pics here. (http://www.tmz.com/2014/06/02/star-wars-episode-7-set-photos-secret-pics-new-creature/) Suprisingly heartened by practical creature effects and physical sets.
On the other hand, I remain unconvinced that JJ Abrams can direct his way out of a paper bag...
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 02 June, 2014, 03:13:16 PM
On the other hand, I remain unconvinced that JJ Abrams can direct his way out of a paper bag...
Sure he can - he's got a bag strategy I bet. I'll imagine it has something to do with lens-flare.
I don't believe direction has ever been Abrams' problem; more that he's rarely had or developed a decent script to direct.
Yeah, I think J.J gets a lot of flak, while Bob Orci and Alex Kurtsmann get off easy. I think Abrams can put a movie together pretty well. He's like a decent singer who keeps being given crappy songs to sing.
At this point he's technically the best director a Star Wars film ever had.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 02 June, 2014, 03:13:16 PM
Tatooine set pics here. (http://www.tmz.com/2014/06/02/star-wars-episode-7-set-photos-secret-pics-new-creature/) Suprisingly heartened by practical creature effects and physical sets.
On the other hand, I remain unconvinced that JJ Abrams can direct his way out of a paper bag...
Cheers
Jim
I don't know, I really enjoyed Super 8. Even if it was a bit of a Spielberg copy.
I mean homage!
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 02 June, 2014, 03:19:13 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 02 June, 2014, 03:13:16 PM
On the other hand, I remain unconvinced that JJ Abrams can direct his way out of a paper bag...
Sure he can - he's got a bag strategy I bet. I'll imagine it has something to do with lens-flare.
And random fan service.
Star Wars Episode VII: The Fan-Service Menace.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 02 June, 2014, 03:41:32 PM
At this point he's technically the best director a Star Wars film ever had
If Marquand had lived, he would be venerated today as we do Kubrick, and Birth Of The Beatles (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKQDLVIPmTo) would be understood as proof of his nascent genius.
These snaps (presumably deliberately leaked to a specific marketing purpose) bother me greatly. It suggests that the problem with the Prequels was an absence of sets and practical effects, and JJA is going to solve everything by shovelling an entire bobsleigh team into a giant hipposalamander, and slapping paint on some plywood. This is nonsense. The sets, locations and modelwork for the Prequels was vast and gobsmackingly good - especially the much-loathed TPM Tatooine sequences - have a look at the lifesize podracer builds alone. The problem with the prequels were crap scripts, unlovable characters and a poorly-communicated and shoddily executed plot.
Selling Episode VII on the basis of practical effects is like telling me that Jar Jar would have been universally loved if Ahmed Best had just worn some sophisticated latex instead of being replaced by orange pixels. Didn't work out for the Trade Federation dudes. It's not the technology that's going to make this work.
Tordelback speaks sense.
I am absolutely not getting excited by this. Cripes, I haven't even bought the Blu-Rays yet - if you'd told 13 year old me there was a bang up to date version of Star Wars and I didn't own it, I would not have believed you.
I think some of the cg effects in the prequels were fantastic but it seems to me that they have recognised where they have limitations. Jar Jar was annoying for many reasons but it didn't help that the 8ft biped seemed to have a body that was made of jelly and that I could tell the difference when real life Ewan was talking to cg Jar Jar. Jar Jar would not have been universally loved if it was a guy in a latex mask but it probably would have been a better, more convincing effect.
Fair enough, although I thought the Gungan effects were pretty excellent myself - well ahead of the following year's Gollum, who still managed to be a fan-favourite character when Jar Jar was a name that was living in infamy. And why? 'Cos he was an interesting character with great lines. So, look instead at RotS' excellent Wookiee costumes, painstakingly recreated and tailored to some unimaginably tall people (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Kingma), all that skill and effort largely wasted on an unengaging micro-sideplot, and bizarrely not once appearing on screen with another 'real' actor to justify the investment in creating Molcher-scale characters. The practical models for the Utapau sinkhole and the Mustafar volcanic landscape are some of the most impressive miniatures I've ever seen, but does anyone even realise they aren't computer generated? Is any of the action that takes place there in any way involving?
Being a right-thinking person I obviously prefer practical effects as a default, my point is rather that where the Prequels made extensive and remarkable use of them, it didn't make a bit of difference.
Quote from: TordelBack on 03 June, 2014, 01:58:35 PMBeing a right-thinking person I obviously prefer practical effects as a default, my point is rather that where the Prequels made extensive and remarkable use of them, it didn't make a bit of difference.
You're right. The whole thing was so soulless and uninvolving, I assumed that pretty much all of it had been shot in greenscreen aircraft hangars with the actors waving imaginary lightsabers at imaginary nasties.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 June, 2014, 02:06:00 PM..I assumed that pretty much all of it had been shot in greenscreen aircraft hangars with the actors waving imaginary lightsabers at imaginary nasties.
In fairness, many of the worst bits were - but again I suspect it's because many of those bits were afterthoughts (and that's being charitable) chucked in at the last moment during pick-ups, so they literally are individual 'actors' mugging uncertainly in front of a curtain. I suppose my argument is this: the 'I hate sand', err, soliloquy is delivered on the lightly-dressed terrace of the Villa del Balbianello, as glorious a real-word location as I have ever visited. Is that nadir of a nadir of a film significantly better than the entirely blue-screened production-line farce that follows? Why is Luke's lonely introspection in the desert at Nefta infinitely more moving than a similarly petulant Anakin burying his mother in the same spot?
I think sometimes people over emphasise the importance of the cg effects in the SW prequel movies because George made so much fuss about them himself and how he wanted to push what they could do with them. CG effects are one of a number of options that filmmakers can use and each have their advantages/disadvantages. I would say that the land battle at the end of PM showed the limitations of what the cg could achieve whereas the Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, Maul 3-way showed how more traditional stunts could still thrill an audience.
Gollum is another good example - the character was great but they also did a fantastic job with the effects. It looks like he is interacting with the cast and also he looks 'real'. But to achieve this they had to film Andy in one suit interacting with the cast and then motion-capture him alone in another suit and do all manner of fancy computer manipulation to model him and then remove real Andy and copy in the new model. I do wonder if at any stage anyone thought "we could just put some make-up on Andy and film everyone together".
Quote from: Recrewt on 03 June, 2014, 03:23:47 PM
Gollum is another good example - the character was great but they also did a fantastic job with the effects. It looks like he is interacting with the cast and also he looks 'real'. But to achieve this they had to film Andy in one suit interacting with the cast and then motion-capture him alone in another suit and do all manner of fancy computer manipulation to model him and then remove real Andy and copy in the new model.
IIRC from the DVD extras, they mo-capped him on-set interacting with the cast, and then re-shot the same scenes without him and composited the CG Gollum into the Serkis-less take.
QuoteI do wonder if at any stage anyone thought "we could just put some make-up on Andy and film everyone together".
There is that lovely bit in the Two Towers extras where they refer to this shot:
(http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb36/jimcampbell2000/Tower_zps40b7efe9.jpg)
And some chap says: "Yeah, you do it on the computer and you've got physics engines and particle systems... sometimes it's easier to just build it and chuck a rock at it..."
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 June, 2014, 03:36:46 PM
And some chap says: "Yeah, you do it on the computer and you've got physics engines and particle systems... sometimes it's easier to just build it and chuck a rock at it..."
:lol: Indeed.
When Return of the King come out, I bought a book by Serkis and the Gollum team detailing Gollum's development.
Apparently one of the big challenges was getting the skin to look realistic. The solution came from Sean Bean's corpse, more specifically the dummy of Boromir's corpse they made to put in a boat to go over the falls.
While most of the crew were slightly perturbed at effectively having a corpse in the workshop, the CGI crew were fascinated by how real the skin looked. When they asked the guy who made it how he achieved this super realistic skin, they realized they had approached the problem in completely the wrong way.
They had been attempting to do it as one texture, but the guy who made the cadaver explained that you have to start with a blue base layer, then build up the colour and texture by adding several red and white translucent layers.
I thought it was interesting how physical methods informed the CG.
Quote from: Recrewt on 03 June, 2014, 03:51:36 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 June, 2014, 03:36:46 PM
And some chap says: "Yeah, you do it on the computer and you've got physics engines and particle systems... sometimes it's easier to just build it and chuck a rock at it..."
:lol: Indeed.
Unless you want to do it again that is, or choreograph it in a certain way.
It's only a film.
Quote from: Goaty on 03 June, 2014, 04:25:08 PM
It's only a film.
and 2000ad's only a comic. :o
MIND BLOWN
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 03 June, 2014, 04:41:48 PM
and 2000ad's only a comic. :o
What? it's a comic?? Tharg a liar bastard! :o
Quote from: Mister Pops on 03 June, 2014, 04:06:02 PM
When Return of the King come out, I bought a book by Serkis and the Gollum team detailing Gollum's development. Apparently one of the big challenges was getting the skin to look realistic. The solution came from Sean Bean's corpse, more specifically the dummy of Boromir's corpse they made to put in a boat to go over the falls.
While most of the crew were slightly perturbed at effectively having a corpse in the workshop, the CGI crew were fascinated by how real the skin looked. When they asked the guy who made it how he achieved this super realistic skin, they realized they had approached the problem in completely the wrong way. They had been attempting to do it as one texture, but the guy who made the cadaver explained that you have to start with a blue base layer, then build up the colour and texture by adding several red and white translucent layers.
I spent entire months of my pre-teen years absorbing the production anecdotes contained in my
Making Of Empire Strikes Back and
Return Of The Jedi cash-in books, which I suppose were the analogue era precursors of DVD extras. I can still tell you how Ben Burtt found the Falcon's engine noise, and retrace Phil Tippett's journey from concept sketches of the Rancor, through man-in-suit solution, to the combination of puppetry and slow cranking compromise at which he finally arrived.
I imagined that aspect of the industry and fandom went out the window as soon as film makers were able to chuck a bucket of pixels at every problem, but you've restored my faith that there's an equivalent of the little me somewhere, lapping this stuff up. I'm sure if I was eight right now I'd be nuts for Michael Bay and Marvel superheroes, so I'm sure the anecdotes about how they animate Thor's cape would eventually prove more interesting to me than the films. Just as with
Star Wars.
Just in case John Williams is unavailable:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJsgq46atU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EJsgq46atU)
Quote from: lord sauchie on 03 June, 2014, 05:04:53 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 03 June, 2014, 04:06:02 PM
When Return of the King come out, I bought a book by Serkis and the Gollum team detailing Gollum's development. Apparently one of the big challenges was getting the skin to look realistic. The solution came from Sean Bean's corpse, more specifically the dummy of Boromir's corpse they made to put in a boat to go over the falls.
While most of the crew were slightly perturbed at effectively having a corpse in the workshop, the CGI crew were fascinated by how real the skin looked. When they asked the guy who made it how he achieved this super realistic skin, they realized they had approached the problem in completely the wrong way. They had been attempting to do it as one texture, but the guy who made the cadaver explained that you have to start with a blue base layer, then build up the colour and texture by adding several red and white translucent layers.
I spent entire months of my pre-teen years absorbing the production anecdotes contained in my Making Of Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi cash-in books, which I suppose were the analogue era precursors of DVD extras. I can still tell you how Ben Burtt found the Falcon's engine noise, and retrace Phil Tippett's journey from concept sketches of the Rancor, through man-in-suit solution, to the combination of puppetry and slow cranking compromise at which he finally arrived.
I imagined that aspect of the industry and fandom went out the window as soon as film makers were able to chuck a bucket of pixels at every problem, but you've restored my faith that there's an equivalent of the little me somewhere, lapping this stuff up. I'm sure if I was eight right now I'd be nuts for Michael Bay and Marvel superheroes, so I'm sure the anecdotes about how they animate Thor's cape would eventually prove more interesting to me than the films. Just as with Star Wars.
Yeah, I used to avidly collect Cinefex - but once every other article was about green screen and CGI, it didn't really hold as much appeal.
Quote from: TordelBack on 03 June, 2014, 10:50:42 AM
These snaps (presumably deliberately leaked to a specific marketing purpose) bother me greatly... Selling Episode VII on the basis of practical effects is like telling me that Jar Jar would have been universally loved if Ahmed Best had just worn some sophisticated latex instead of being replaced by orange pixels. Didn't work out for the Trade Federation dudes. It's not the technology that's going to make this work.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 03 June, 2014, 12:30:50 PM
Tordelback speaks sense.
I am absolutely not getting excited by this. Cripes, I haven't even bought the Blu-Rays yet - if you'd told 13 year old me there was a bang up to date version of Star Wars and I didn't own it, I would not have believed you.
The magical
force that George Lucas discovered nearly 40 years ago lives on without him and pulses with a vibrant, perpetual energy that can separate nerds from their money without the need for thought, or the wave of a hand.
You all will abide.
Hey, I didn't say I wouldn't go! I'm the man who saw Attack of the Clones three times - in the cinema.
Quote from: TordelBack on 03 June, 2014, 06:10:43 PM
I'm the man who saw Attack of the Clones three times - in the cinema.
Were you expecting it to get
better?Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 June, 2014, 06:12:25 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 03 June, 2014, 06:10:43 PM
I'm the man who saw Attack of the Clones three times - in the cinema.
Were you expecting it to get better?
Oh that's nothing, by a horrid sequence of events I saw
The Mummy Returns three times as well - two of those in the
same week.
In the case of AotC it was voluntary. I think my capacity to judge expectations was completely blown at that point. It was the viewing equivalent of phantom-
menacelimb syndrome, a fan sort-of twitching spasmodically in his seat, waiting for someone to ring the bell that would make him salivate. But it never came.
But then I have gone to see Phantom Menace
8 times, so I may be beyond all reasoned analysis.
So do anyone know what Phantom Menace title was about?
Quote from: Goaty on 03 June, 2014, 06:20:20 PM
So do anyone know what Phantom Menace title was about?
(http://www.retrosellers.com/images/ol14.jpg)
Quote from: lord sauchie on 03 June, 2014, 06:28:51 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 03 June, 2014, 06:20:20 PM
So do anyone know what Phantom Menace title was about?
(http://www.retrosellers.com/images/ol14.jpg)
THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT!
Nah, he made far more sense.
Hopefully Han & Leia are living in this Winnebago-style -permanently grounded with added awnings, conservatories, decks etc.- and when they're doin' it, rocks back and forth on legs and concrete blocks.
Inevitably there'll be a get-away scene when Han needs to fire-her-up one last time as the homely add-ons are burnt away during take-off.
(http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/m-falcon-photos-03.jpg)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 03 June, 2014, 08:51:03 PM
(http://www.joblo.com/newsimages1/m-falcon-photos-03.jpg)
Mmmm sorry can't think what it should be looks like...(!)
Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o joins what was already looking like an overcrowded cast of hipster favourites:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-episode-vii-adds-708602
The original worked without popular flavour of the moment types....I hope to Christ they dont over egg this particular pudding.
I don't want to see a Star Wars film where Han Solo's in his seventies.
I don't want to see a Star Wars film where someone who isn't Harrison Ford plays Han Solo.
I don't want to see a Star Wars film that doesn't have Han Solo in it.
Bet I'm still gonna be first in line to watch this, by the time it comes out.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 03 June, 2014, 06:12:25 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 03 June, 2014, 06:10:43 PM
I'm the man who saw Attack of the Clones three times - in the cinema.
Were you expecting it to get better?
Cheers
Jim
Bits of it actually did.
I saw it twice at the cinema, and second time, once over the initial, crushing disappointment, I did find
some things to like.
They were all in things like the art design such as those Nabbo cruisers gliding through art-deco skyscrapers at the start, the contrast between the water world and the blasted desert rocks of Geonosis, the bits of the final battles that were literally light, smoke and dust, that mental cyberman looking guy representing a banking clan or whatever, and that lakeside villa where Amidala lives.
Then I realised a script had the words "banking clan" in it and remembered it was shite.
Aye Dr. Rocka, there's the rub.
Some fun cast choices there with Lupita and Brienne, but wouldn't it be nice to think that they might be portraying two of five or six characters that we might grow to love/hate, rather than the distracting walk-on parts they are inevitably going to be? Aren't the old fogies going to be competition enough for our attention without turning the place into a game of IMDB Bingo?. Just because you can have your pick of the acting world (apart from Dennis Lawson), doesn't mean that you should
I know the original started off by setting up two cinematic giants in Guinness and Cushing as the respective goalposts of their pitch, but in between them it was four largely anonymous but hugely memorable guys in suits and just three fresh faced cast members who were kicking the ball about. Adding Frank Oz and Billy Dee Williams in the next film, and Ian McDiarmid in the third, barely changed that essential simplicity - although some might argue that even then things felt a bit diluted in the final act.
While I seem to expend most of my moaning on the fading hope of getting something new, I think that this is a model Episode VII could do well to follow.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 04 June, 2014, 08:44:08 AM
I saw it twice at the cinema, and second time, once over the initial, crushing disappointment, I did find some things to like.
I was so disappointed with Phantom Menace (I don't think I've ever sat through it since that initial cinema viewing) that I didn't see it AotC until I got it as a Christmas present (unrequested) on DVD and have said before that I hate it least of all the prequels. It feels a little soulless and the plot is over-complicated, but it feels less vacuous and check-box-ticking than Menace and, unlike, RotS at least largely makes sense within its own confines. Sith, by contrast, abandons great chunks of AotC subplot and somehow manages to make even less sense.
Cheers
Jim
I much prefer the freshness and ambition of Menace to the prolix Clones, although there are individual threads and scenes in the latter that are very enjoyable, even ambitious, but I completely agree about Sith - the worst of the three, despite having fleetingly brief sequences that are what the rest should have been.
Hehe!
(http://i.imgur.com/UiO8bS7.jpg)
Han Solo rushed to hospital after being injured by Millennium Falcon. Medics consider carbon freezing as an option:
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/harrison-ford-injured-star-wars-711457
My heart sinks every time this thread floats to the top of the page. That just can't be a good sign,
Quote from: TordelBack on 12 June, 2014, 10:56:01 PM
That just can't be a good sign
Internet guys are already working on their
Poltergeist-style
CURSE OF STAR WARS features, detailing the grizzly fates which have befallen the cast members of this stricken series. Peter Cushing and Sir Alec Guiness are DEAD,
TordelBack - they're dead.
I had meant to refer to my own feelings of dread, rather than the curse that hangs over all who disturb the nearly-dead: but that'll do.
Quote from: TordelBack on 12 June, 2014, 11:33:11 PM
I had meant to refer to my own feelings of dread, rather than the curse that hangs over all who disturb the nearly-dead: but that'll do.
The Ancient Fear.
Quote from: TordelBack on 12 June, 2014, 10:56:01 PM
My heart sinks every time this thread floats to the top of the page. That just can't be a good sign,
It's understandable. The prequels ruined my ability to get excited about Star Wars.
In a way, the prequels achieved something.
Hearing the news this morning, my wife (a Harrison Ford fan of long standing) asked me: "so who is he playing in Star Wars anyway?". "Han Solo". "You're kidding. Whose stupid idea was that?".
Quote from: TordelBack on 13 June, 2014, 06:52:50 AM
Hearing the news this morning, my wife (a Harrison Ford fan of long standing) asked me: "so who is he playing in Star Wars anyway?". "Han Solo". "You're kidding. Whose stupid idea was that?".
I don't... what?
Quote from: sauchie gun club on 12 June, 2014, 11:01:10 PM
Quote from: TordelBack on 12 June, 2014, 10:56:01 PM
That just can't be a good sign
Internet guys are already working on their Poltergeist-style CURSE OF STAR WARS features, detailing the grizzly fates which have befallen the cast members of this stricken series. Peter Cushing and Sir Alec Guiness are DEAD, TordelBack - they're dead.
They're not DEAD! They've become more powerful than you can possibly imagine...in a kind of ghosty whosty way.
(https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/t1.0-9/10390883_10152940066552796_2073007698541933515_n.jpg)
haha! Nice one, Steve. That'll teach him to shoot first.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 13 June, 2014, 10:28:19 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 13 June, 2014, 06:52:50 AM
Hearing the news this morning, my wife (a Harrison Ford fan of long standing) asked me: "so who is he playing in Star Wars anyway?". "Han Solo". "You're kidding. Whose stupid idea was that?".
I don't... what?
Who can fathom how these higher minds work, but I suspected it was disbelief that anyone thought making a movie featuring a septuagenarian Han was a wise move: I think she had envisaged some sort of Stan Lee-style cameo.
Quote from: TordelBack on 13 June, 2014, 06:05:05 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 13 June, 2014, 10:28:19 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 13 June, 2014, 06:52:50 AM
Hearing the news this morning, my wife (a Harrison Ford fan of long standing) asked me: "so who is he playing in Star Wars anyway?". "Han Solo". "You're kidding. Whose stupid idea was that?".
I don't... what?
Who can fathom how these higher minds work, but I suspected it was disbelief that anyone thought making a movie featuring a septuagenarian Han was a wise move: I think she had envisaged some sort of Stan Lee-style cameo.
I got what she meant - it's standard practice when remaking old TV shows or movies to have at least one of the original cast members appear as the father of the character he used to portray, as a mentor, or cameo as an older version of the same character. See the film remakes of
Maverick, Cape Fear, and Starsky and Hutch.
Like Lou Ferringingnohgono's (sic) cameo in the Ed Norton Hulk. Which was nicely done
Cute little note from Harrison here. Glad he's okay. And not grumpy. But I'm more interested in his facial hair. This is, presumably, the Han Solo we'll be seeing in the film.
He looks a bit Ben Kenobi to me, more of a wise old jedi than an ageing outlaw. Which blows. Because one of the awful things about the Phantom Menace etc was the truly awful hair. Everyone looked like a Mormon at lumberjack school. And unfortunately the tidy beards are still in vogue in a galaxy far far away, it seems.
That's fake (http://i.imgur.com/um6ijro.jpg)
Don't think anyone can write in a font that well!
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 June, 2014, 10:42:57 PM
That's fake (http://i.imgur.com/um6ijro.jpg)
See the Jedi and their followers are all false. Only our benevolent Leader Emperor Palpatine can lead us to order from their chaos inducing ideas about Democracy. Hail
Evil tighter security measures.
:lol: A stormtrooper on every street corner and the hover trains will run on time. Z
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 June, 2014, 10:42:57 PM
That's fake (http://i.imgur.com/um6ijro.jpg)
Don't think anyone can write in a font that well!
Surely not!
(http://i186.photobucket.com/albums/x32/scowling_monkey/hanshotfirst_zps19d62021.jpg) (http://s186.photobucket.com/user/scowling_monkey/media/hanshotfirst_zps19d62021.jpg.html)
;)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 13 June, 2014, 10:42:57 PM
Don't think anyone can write in a font that well!
I'd like to hear Jim Campbell's opinion on this.
What film is that awful goatee from then? Please tell me it's not Star Wars. Han Solo shouldn't own a beard trimmer, not even in the shape of Slave I.
Quote from: Montynero on 16 June, 2014, 01:16:46 PM
What film is that awful goatee from then? Please tell me it's not Star Wars. Han Solo shouldn't own a beard trimmer, not even in the shape of Slave I.
He could use Shave-1 to trim his beard in the shape of the Rebel Alliance logo (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Rebel_Alliance_logo.svg/300px-Rebel_Alliance_logo.svg.png). Harrison Ford was papped around London in the days prior to his mortal struggle with hydraulic engineering, and he didn't look like he'd gone Taliban:
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/06/12/article-2656572-1EB55F4800000578-970_308x419.jpg)
(includes helpful illustration for the benefit of anyone confused by the information that he was airlifted to John Radcliffe in Oxford, and who needs shown what a helicopter might look like)
Phew!
How do you break your ankle on a garage door anyway? Kicking it, presumably. "You can type this sh*t...etc"
If you can look at or listen to JJ Abrams without wanting to kick something you're a better man than me.
Is it J J or Jar Jar Abrams?
Bravo, my good man, Bravo!!! :D :lol:
Looks like Jabrams will be off after episode 7 and episodes 8 & 9 will be helmed by Rian Johnson (http://www.deadline.com/2014/06/star-wars-rian-johnson-director-next-two-movies/).
Woah! Looper was dark, bleak, mean - and very inventive. This is intriguing. This could be Empire Strikes Back territory.
Quote from: Montynero on 20 June, 2014, 09:04:48 PM
Woah! Looper was dark, bleak, mean - and very inventive. This is intriguing. This could be Empire Strikes Back territory.
I found 'Looper' to be an absolute mess in terms of plot, the time travel elements in particular I felt were woefully miss-handled.
Still, it'll probably be better than the Prequels.
Cheers
Quote from: NapalmKev on 21 June, 2014, 06:51:03 AM
Still, it'll probably be better than the Prequels.
Please don't set the bar THAT low NK.
Quote from: NapalmKev on 21 June, 2014, 06:51:03 AM
Quote from: Montynero on 20 June, 2014, 09:04:48 PM
Woah! Looper was dark, bleak, mean - and very inventive. This is intriguing. This could be Empire Strikes Back territory.
I found 'Looper' to be an absolute mess in terms of plot, the time travel elements in particular I felt were woefully miss-handled.
Still, it'll probably be better than the Prequels.
Cheers
Mishandled how exactly? Time travel doesn't make any logical sense whichever way you cut it, so there has to be a willingness to suspend disbelief when enjoying any time travel story. Given that, I think what many people liked about Looper was the fresh, sparse approach to time travel and its ramifications.
Quote from: Montynero on 22 June, 2014, 09:22:17 AM
Quote from: NapalmKev on 21 June, 2014, 06:51:03 AM
Quote from: Montynero on 20 June, 2014, 09:04:48 PM
Woah! Looper was dark, bleak, mean - and very inventive. This is intriguing. This could be Empire Strikes Back territory.
I found 'Looper' to be an absolute mess in terms of plot, the time travel elements in particular I felt were woefully miss-handled.
Still, it'll probably be better than the Prequels.
Cheers
Mishandled how exactly? Time travel doesn't make any logical sense whichever way you cut it, so there has to be a willingness to suspend disbelief when enjoying any time travel story. Given that, I think what many people liked about Looper was the fresh, sparse approach to time travel and its ramifications.
I think we went over most of this at the time of release but the thing that I always wondered was why not just send people to the bottom of the sea or something?
The time machines send people through space as well as time in Looper so it seems odd that they rely on a guy at the other end to do the killing when they could just send the person into a lethal environment.
I still found the film reasonably entertaining but it was presented as being much cleverer than it was. Also, the sound mix is absolutely terrible - characters can barely be heard while incidental music knocks your socks off!
The flaw with Looper was this: Why have the past you kill the future you? There were other Loopers who could have done it and been none the wiser. I get the pay-off bit, but that could as easily have been on a random mark.
http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,37128.0.html
Quote from: Montynero on 22 June, 2014, 09:22:17 AM
Quote from: NapalmKev on 21 June, 2014, 06:51:03 AM
Quote from: Montynero on 20 June, 2014, 09:04:48 PM
Woah! Looper was dark, bleak, mean - and very inventive. This is intriguing. This could be Empire Strikes Back territory.
I found 'Looper' to be an absolute mess in terms of plot, the time travel elements in particular I felt were woefully miss-handled.
Still, it'll probably be better than the Prequels.
Cheers
Mishandled how exactly? Time travel doesn't make any logical sense whichever way you cut it, so there has to be a willingness to suspend disbelief when enjoying any time travel story. Given that, I think what many people liked about Looper was the fresh, sparse approach to time travel and its ramifications.
I realise time-travel itself is illogical but; during the film [spoiler]one of the Loopers gets caught in the past and dismembered, which causes the limbs of his 'future self' to fall off. Now then, if he was killed in the past I'm fairly certain he wouldn't exist in the future, with or without limbs. [/spoiler] and as others have mentioned, why not just execute the guy?
Anyway, I await Star Wars Ep 7 with interest.
Cheers
Hmm, time travel is the obvious link between the work of Abrams and Johnson... One can only hope that's merely coincident with them both making SF stuff.
Quote from: JamesC on 22 June, 2014, 10:03:30 AM
I think we went over most of this at the time of release but the thing that I always wondered was why not just send people to the bottom of the sea or something?
The time machines send people through space as well as time in Looper so it seems odd that they rely on a guy at the other end to do the killing when they could just send the person into a lethal environment.
That seems a lot less attractive and more definitively fatal for any potential Looper to ever take up the position in the first place; I suppose the outside chance of figuring out a way to outsmart the person you know best
-your future/past self- was part of the allure or thrill for any criminal psycho willing to do it.
Loopers liked the
odds which is why they did it- and of course it fed into the
self-preservation or personal sacrifice for something greater than yourself theme of the film.
Transporting your victims somewhere out of sight and just trusting that they've met their end sounds more the methodology of Dr Evil (http://youtu.be/Gb428ySuFjA) than Paulie Walnuts. They're wise guys, y'know, goodfellas, who value tradition, and do things the way their fathers (or godfathers) have always done them. You've been using an axe to dismember corpses for years; somebody invents the chainsaw, you mutilate the body the same way, it just takes a little less time. Somebody invents time travel - it's just a new way of whacking people in the same way your daddy (or Joe Pesci (http://youtu.be/8t9x_y3vFic)) taught you all those years ago.
Plus, if something goes wrong with the whack, there's someone to take the drop for it ... other than yourself. Remember the genius bit in Bill & Ted where they have to remember to stash keys where they need them and the keys are then just magically where they want them to be? If someone finds out they're being whacked in advance they could make sure the solid rock into which they're about to be transported actually contains a cave, supplies and an escape route. It's all fiddly and very Back To The Future part two, whereas a time whack is still a whack and operates by familiar rules.
Quote from: Montynero on 22 June, 2014, 09:22:17 AM
Time travel doesn't make any logical sense whichever way you cut it, so there has to be a willingness to suspend disbelief when enjoying any time travel story.
Disagree. It makes complete logical sense in the aforementioned Bill & Ted.
Quote from: M.I.K. on 22 June, 2014, 02:53:13 PM
Quote from: Montynero on 22 June, 2014, 09:22:17 AM
Time travel doesn't make any logical sense whichever way you cut it, so there has to be a willingness to suspend disbelief when enjoying any time travel story.
Disagree. It makes complete logical sense in the aforementioned Bill & Ted.
Bogus!
:lol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Snph22qSUMU
rumours theyre filming under the name "avco" and are in the forest of dean...endor? kasshykk?
Quote from: tootyfruity on 11 July, 2014, 11:21:36 PM
rumours theyre filming under the name "avco" and are in the forest of dean...endor? kasshykk?
Dennis Potter (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hos1hoI2neU) country? Unbelievable (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=EnW0YeXP_NU#t=25).
Apparently, story details of Episode VII: Cool Hand Luke (http://screencrush.com/star-wars-episode-7-plot-details-luke-skywalker/)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 21 July, 2014, 12:38:12 AM
Apparently, story details of Episode VII: Cool Hand Luke (http://screencrush.com/star-wars-episode-7-plot-details-luke-skywalker/)
Hopefully they'll explain what happened to Luke's landspeeder after he sold it too.
Ok so the hand gripping the lightsaber (persumably Lukes from Bespin), is vented from Cloud City, it would then surely fall planetward towards the surface? If it were ejected from the planet?? It would then have to accelerate to near luminal or indeed super-luminal velocity??? It would then have to encounter another solar system and upon encountering a planetary atmosphere it would have to survive the frictative effects ofsaid atmosphere???? Or maybe I'm reading too much into this. Z
That sounds like misinformation to me, as I'm sure they'll want to get the Falcon in the new film. Plus it sounds a bit too fan-wanky - don't get me wrong, there have been hundreds of fan-wanky SW stories told over the years - this is arguably the whole point of spin-off media like comics and novels - to the point that when I flicked through some anthology of short stories in a bookstore years ago there were even tales about the Jawa that drove the big truck that picked up R2D2 and C3PO from the desert, so I would imagine if even the spin-off media creators think something sounds too stupid to do a story about, Hollywood scriptwriters with years of experience and millions of dollars to throw around can probably come up with something much better.
No, I can't tell if I'm joking either.
Quote from: Professor Theopolis K Bear on 21 July, 2014, 02:30:19 PM
No, I can't tell if I'm joking either.
It's why we love you.
Whats up with your new avatar thing by the way- pretty annoying!
X-Wing style vehicle revealed
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWBGrkc360M (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWBGrkc360M)
Z95? Z
Whenever I hear the phrase 'plot details of new Star Wars movie leaked' my mind always goes back to this hilarious website I once found.
On said site, one guy was enthusiastically proclaiming that he had inside info on the content of the next THREE Star Wars movies, which all revolved around Luke Skywalker, and basically consisted of:
Talky bit.
Space battle.
Talky bit.
MASSIVE JEDI BATTLE!
Luke Skywalker slices main baddie in half lengthways.
The cack-handed writing and obvious fakeness of this site made it a laugh a minute. Especially the obvious peoccupation the guy behind it all had with death by lengthways lightsaber strike, which cropped up everywhere.
SuperShadow?
Quote from: HdE on 21 July, 2014, 05:58:51 PM
Whenever I hear the phrase 'plot details of new Star Wars movie leaked' my mind always goes back to this hilarious website I once found.
On said site, one guy was enthusiastically proclaiming that he had inside info on the content of the next THREE Star Wars movies, which all revolved around Luke Skywalker, and basically consisted of:
Talky bit.
Space battle.
Talky bit.
MASSIVE JEDI BATTLE!
Luke Skywalker slices main baddie in half lengthways.
In the late 90's
SuperShadow claimed on his mind-blowing website that Lucas'
McGuffin for Episode 7 was Luke's severed arm:
"Spiden contacts Luke Skywalker and asks the great Jedi Master to meet
with him on the planet of Sluivan. Spiden tells Luke that Spiden is a
smuggler who came across Luke's severed hand in a preservation box. Luke
learns from Spiden that the Empire recovered Luke's hand that Vader cut
off at Bespin. Spiden says that the hand is in perfect condition and
can probably be re-attached to Luke's arm. Luke agrees to meet Spiden
on Sluivan."
http://web.archive.org/web/20130724201810/http://www.supershadow.com/starwars/episode7/plot.html
Quote from: ZenArcade on 21 July, 2014, 04:03:13 PM
Z95?
Doesn't seem to be.
https://twitter.com/starwars/status/491196351422554112
It looks like a recreation of the McQuarrie concept for the X-wing.
(http://www.modelermagic.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/90-ralph-mcquarrie-x-wing-tie-fighter-death-star-500x281.jpg)
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BtFcLZ1CYAIrk89.jpg)
awesomeness ,blue x-wings, falcon Even if it did crush solo's foot practical fx /spaceships etc and kevin smith unverbally confirmed stormtroopers...i'll find the link again.
I'd even be happy with ewoks but they would have to be dining on gungan sushi.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=055wFyO6gag
-pj
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 21 July, 2014, 07:40:54 PM
In the late 90's SuperShadow claimed on his mind-blowing website that Lucas' McGuffin for Episode 7 was Luke's severed arm:
"Spiden contacts Luke Skywalker and asks the great Jedi Master to meet
with him on the planet of Sluivan. Spiden tells Luke that Spiden is a
smuggler who came across Luke's severed hand in a preservation box. Luke
learns from Spiden that the Empire recovered Luke's hand that Vader cut
off at Bespin. Spiden says that the hand is in perfect condition and
can probably be re-attached to Luke's arm. Luke agrees to meet Spiden
on Sluivan."
http://web.archive.org/web/20130724201810/http://www.supershadow.com/starwars/episode7/plot.html
That sounds spookily like what I ran into.
Damn, you kids are scary.
Quote from: 2T(fru)T on 22 July, 2014, 11:17:52 AM
Quote from: pauljholden on 21 July, 2014, 10:22:17 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=055wFyO6gag -pj
que?
I think PJ is conveying his belief that this information is a deliberate act of misdirection.
oh, which bit? the troopers?
Hah, no I'm suggesting that every one is getting very excited about JJ Abrams Star Wars because he's teased an X wing, when we all got excited about his reinvention of Star Trek (and then disappointed by the second one) and I was the most excited a human being could be for the prequels on seeing their trailers, but... you know how that worked out.
So as exciting as this thing looks, I'm not gonna be charlie brown...
i wasnt that fussed about star trek and still think chris pine was miscast as kirk. this has got me excited about star wars again especially as he does appear to be going "back to basics" with the used universe and practical fx keeping cgi to hopefully a bare minimum.
lets face it he cant really do worse than George did with the prequels even though it was his child he did seem to turn into one of those parents of those awful child paegents in America...
only 18 months to go to find out... ;)
Quote from: Professor Theopolis K Bear on 21 July, 2014, 02:30:19 PM
That sounds like misinformation to me, as I'm sure they'll want to get the Falcon in the new film. Plus it sounds a bit too fan-wanky - don't get me wrong, there have been hundreds of fan-wanky SW stories told over the years - this is arguably the whole point of spin-off media like comics and novels - to the point that when I flicked through some anthology of short stories in a bookstore years ago there were even tales about the Jawa that drove the big truck that picked up R2D2 and C3PO from the desert, so I would imagine if even the spin-off media creators think something sounds too stupid to do a story about, Hollywood scriptwriters with years of experience and millions of dollars to throw around can probably come up with something much better.
No, I can't tell if I'm joking either.
I have....
Tales From Jabba's Palace....
Tales From Mos-Eslie's-Cantina....(Both these two have some interesting stories....were these the wank-tales you were referring to. I'm not sure I have read anyone about the
Jawa who drove the their
Sand-Crawler truck, but a lot them are about the characters that we briefly glimpsed in the films, and could only guess at their back-story.)
Shards of Alderann....(I brought this because it added some back-story to
Boba-Fett.
Rogue Squadron.... (Borrowed or given from a old friend.)
Star-Wars: A New Hope (Yep, the novelisation of the very first film and it belongs to my older brother.)
These are all paper- (Or soft-cardboard...) back editions and I also brought the original hard back editions of the
Star-Wars-Prequels.
The dust-cover for
Attack of the Clones got a bit tatty as I was living out of my
Ford-Falcon-Ultility at the time. I remember buying the ticket nearly a fortnight prior to it's official premiere screening...just before I encountered some very crippling mechanical problems with my ride. I think I had brought and had been reading the third novel by the stage I had sold my unfixable
Ute, moved out of the caravan park I had been living in for he last six months and started living on the streets for the next few years. After I had given up on my unemployment pension and start earning money by washing wind-screens in traffic. I think that book suffered from exposure to the elements as well. Yet, I still have them.
Quote from: 2T(fru)T on 23 July, 2014, 09:12:36 AMhe does appear to be going "back to basics" with the used universe and practical fx keeping cgi to hopefully a bare minimum.
I think that's a necessity - rather than a stylistic choice - to differentiate it from fan-films, the CGI series, Star Trek, and countless impressive small-screen effects showcases like BSG.
The issues for me are, as usual, a return to the same brackish well, rather than looking for fresh sources. Almost the entirety of look of the new Rebels series is derived directly from McQuarrie's concept work, as were large chunks of TCW and the Prequels, and now we find that the sequels are too (and don't get me wrong: the man was a bona-fide genius). I actually rather admired Lucas' signature economy in recycling every brainstormed name (there's hardly a word from his '70s notebooks that doesn't now appear on screen) and post-it doodle into his later stuff, but to see this same body of material stretched out into the next films as welll...
Also, Abrams as frontman is about as inspiring as a student teacher on a Friday afternoon. Get your own bloody concept artist, you hack - what worked for a couple of West End Games lads and their photocopier shouldn't have to work for Disney too.
They initially approached bigger names than Abrams for the sequels until he became the 'number one' choice but essentially his job is to string several decent sequences together with minimal plot to fill out the duration -a bit like Empire...- whether the film makes much sense is up to Kasdan but a new vision doesn't seem to be the thrust of these films so far.
Well, I'm STILL excited about it. :-)
On a positive spin, using McQuarrie does ensure a degree of visual consistency with the original trilogy. I want familiarity with the originals in this film, I don't want everything to be radically different as its a continuation of that story.
Still optimistic that its going to be great!
So far, the lack of anything like those gaudy yellow "naboo starfighters" and padme's silver spaceship reassures this will at least look like Star Wars'. I loved JJ's Trek reboots so am uncontaminated by the cynicism on display elsewhere. The blue x wing that only has two wings is also lovely, and I feel sure the handjob plot is just nonsense.
In short, I am sad I cant book my tickets already.
SBT
Personally I'll be leaving 'em for home video. I have no deep attachments to Star Wars and frankly nothing about these set shots has me excited. It'll take a thumping good trailer to convince me otherwise.
Quote from: SmallBlueThing on 24 July, 2014, 11:52:53 AM
so am uncontaminated by the cynicism on display
Yes. I've started to refer to this as The Grumpy Old Man thread. ;)
STOP PRESS!!! STAR WARS to be filmed in Ireland !!!
Well...maybe parts of it at least...if the rumours in the link below are to be believed...
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/is-skellig-michael-about-to-be-used-for-star-wars-7-shoot-1.1876823
Quote from: paddykafka on 24 July, 2014, 01:50:44 PM
STOP PRESS!!! STAR WARS to be filmed in Ireland !!!
Well...maybe parts of it at least...if the rumours in the link below are to be believed...
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/is-skellig-michael-about-to-be-used-for-star-wars-7-shoot-1.1876823
Who cares about Star Wars Paddy,
Vikings season 3 just wrapped up filming round the corner from me!
I am looking forward more to The Incredibles 2 (or Cars 3 for that matter).
But, rest assured, this will have a great trailer. I remember replaying The Phantom Menace trailer over and over again.
Quote from: paddykafka on 24 July, 2014, 01:50:44 PM
STOP PRESS!!! STAR WARS to be filmed in Ireland !!!
Well...maybe parts of it at least...if the rumours in the link below are to be believed...
http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/is-skellig-michael-about-to-be-used-for-star-wars-7-shoot-1.1876823
I'd like to see Abrams get up those steps.
Nice to see Mark Hamill after all these years on the red carpet. He was sporting a fine beard/mullet combo and made a rather funny self-deprecating reference to it. Z
If I'd been anywhere near Leicester Sq. last night and had got the nod that Mark Hamill was on the red carpet I'd've been there like a shot.
Get an autograph from the voice of the Joker and true childhood icon? Yes sirree.
(http://i.imgur.com/bo9nclS.jpg?1)
I may have little else positive to say about this endeavour, but that Hamill 'do is the kriffing business. If nothing else good comes of the sequels, at least we have a definitive look for Master Skywalker (the only one of the old gang whose return I endorse as at least structurally and possibly thematically apposite), and one true genre legend is getting a hefty paycheck.
(Apologies to all for my persistent negativity on this thread and others of late. I'm afraid the black anooba has come for an extended visit, and such behaviour is its familiar kowakian monkey-lizard herald. And just when everything was going so well too. I shall refrain from further sniping until it has left the building, if it ever does.)
Chin, chin Tordeldude. Z
This too shall pass, TB. Take care.
While I'm kind of dreading seeing an aged Han Solo - grumpy old Ford seems to have lost his charisma in the last twenty years - I am also kind of excited to see Luke Skywalker on screen again. I've got a lot of time for Hamill - he always comes across extremely down to earth and likable in interviews.
Having heard the recent rumours about EpVII's 'quest' being the [spoiler]search for a missing Skywalker[/spoiler], I still maintain that the big "I am your father" moment of this new trilogy is going to be the revelation Skywalker is already dead and will only appear in the new films as a Obi Wan style spirit guide.
Oh, and regarding those rumours about [spoiler]Luke's severed hand[/spoiler] being the first film's Maguffin - I think everyone has assumed that this is the [spoiler]same hand that Vader chopped off - which makes zero sense[/spoiler]. If the rumours are true - which I doubt - [spoiler]I understood it to mean his robot hand that replaced it[/spoiler].
I'm inclined to believe the rumour about Boyega playing [spoiler]an ex-Stormtrooper on the run though. ISTR early casting call leaks suggesting that one of the roles was a middle-aged military type character, though they ended up ageing the character down.[/spoiler]
Quote from: TordelBack on 25 July, 2014, 09:07:29 PM
I'm afraid the black anooba has come for an extended visit ... and just when everything was going so well too.
Fresh air, brisk exercise, time spent with family and friends, and don't look at this thread until 2015 - by which time The Boy's innocent enthusiasm and the dog whistle of ingrained cultural memory (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGsKzZtRwxw) will have worked its evil magic on you too.
Quote from: radiator on 25 July, 2014, 10:16:58 PM
[spoiler]I understood it to mean his robot hand that replaced it[/spoiler].
In they likelihood of the leak being a fan-fiction ruse and as far as rumours can state anything
-nothing really- [spoiler]they don't specify it as Luke's hand, just a hand with his lightsaber- it's the lightsaber that is supposedly identified.
[/spoiler]
Star Wars Jizz: A Ken Burns Documentary (http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/a7d90ea992/star-wars-jizz-a-ken-burns-documentary)
(http://bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-Skellig-Michael-Merch-1.jpg)
That is simply brilliant!! Z :lol:
(http://i.imgur.com/PUy2Ac3.jpg)
Lovely new stormtrooper designs (allegedly...)
http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/08/are-these-the-new-star-wars-episode-7-stormtroopers.html (http://www.starwars7news.com/2014/08/are-these-the-new-star-wars-episode-7-stormtroopers.html)
(http://s14.postimg.org/jpmawe1kh/image.jpg)
those are lovely,just hope theyre true the other one looks like a snowtrooper concept ralph mcquarrie did...
it made me laugh on den of geek when people were debating the existence of imperial troops 30 years after the battle of endor...as demonstrated by dark empire and other expanded universe thingys surely just cos the emp was killed surely the imperials wouldn't just pack it in cos princess leia said so?
Put it in Spoiler tag, some people wasn't happy on Facebook today ;)
Quote from: Goaty on 15 August, 2014, 11:55:56 AM
Put it in Spoiler tag, some people wasn't happy on Facebook today ;)
goodjob I didn't say anything about the titanic sinking in that leo dicrapio fillum :lol:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/star-wars-episode-7-stormtroopers-first-look-at-the-new-imperial-guards-9670564.html
another pic of the supposed helmet and what seems to be in the plural like those sneaky but welcome shots of dredd's bucket.
Rumour: Disney to release original cuts of Star Wars on Blu Ray:
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray (http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray)
Been calling it ever since the Disney buyout - would be a great bit of PR ahead of VII.
Hope this is true, and if so can't wait - will definitely be buying, hope they do a nice job on the packakging this time round - every version released in the last ten years has been hideous. I refused to buy the current Blu Rays due to all the shitty additions which I argue went - especially with the latest alterations - way beyond the cosmetic and actually render the films unwatchable.
Quote from: radiator on 18 August, 2014, 04:32:11 PM
Rumour: Disney to release original cuts of Star Wars on Blu Ray:
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray (http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray)
There was an article posted this morning on dark horizons about this being unlikely, this morning. I'm not sure about the source, but I hope it's wrong and we get the OG cuts (or at worst a set with all cuts ala Blade Runner).
People seem to think its unlikely because Fox still own the rights, but last time i checked both Fox and Disney like money - I'm sure a deal can and will be reached.
Quote from: radiator on 18 August, 2014, 07:15:58 PM
People seem to think its unlikely because Fox still own the rights, but last time i checked both Fox and Disney like money - I'm sure a deal can and will be reached.
Oh, I definitely don't disagree with you. I just felt I'd post the rumor about the rumor for fairness' sake. I'll find the link when I have a moment...
Quote from: radiator on 18 August, 2014, 04:32:11 PM
Rumour: Disney to release original cuts of Star Wars on Blu Ray:
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray (http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31751/original-cuts-of-star-wars-reportedly-heading-to-blu-ray)
Been calling it ever since the Disney buyout - would be a great bit of PR ahead of VII.
Hope this is true, and if so can't wait - will definitely be buying, hope they do a nice job on the packakging this time round - every version released in the last ten years has been hideous. I refused to buy the current Blu Rays due to all the shitty additions which I argue went - especially with the latest alterations - way beyond the cosmetic and actually render the films unwatchable.
This is complex
-maybe a deal has been struck- as FOX still own the rights to all 6 Star Wars films:
the rights to Empire, Jedi & the Prequels revert to Disney in 2020 but FOX own the original Star Wars * in perpetuity - because they paid for its production. Apparently it's in George Lucas' contract with FOX that they cannot release the original versions and that any existing prints held in private hands be confiscated and destroyed. This might be the stumbling block if Lucas retained this as part of his sale of Lucasfilm.
I can see Disney waiting this out until 2020 for a full release when they can benefit the most out of fully owning 8 of the proposed 9 films; they all ready cancelled the 3D cinema roll-out of the saga and they were pulling in
half a billion.
*It was FOX who paid $20 million to restore A New Hope for the Special Editions and probably did it so they could secure distribution rights to the Prequels.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 August, 2014, 08:08:00 PM
*It was FOX who paid $20 million to ruin A New Hope for the Special Editions and probably did it so they could secure distribution rights to the Prequels.
FTFY.
Is that the same George Lucas who claimed the Special Editions would never be released on home video? The same one who claimed Star Wars was always envisioned as 9 films, then later that the story was definitely finished with 6 and there would never be a third trilogy?
Mark my words, this is happening.
Quote from: radiator on 19 August, 2014, 05:58:36 AMThe same one who claimed Star Wars was always envisioned as 9 films, then later that the story was definitely finished with 6 and there would never be a third trilogy?
Lucas, the man from Miniluv.
I hope this happens although I wonder if the market for the original unchanged versions is as large as some people believe.
Anyone under about 30 has probably never seen the original versions and I wonder if they'd really care. This generation may even argue that some of the changes are a good thing (heresy in my opinion, but playing Devil's advocate...). I can see why younger viewers may find the original ending to ROTJ a bit small in scale and that they may wonder who the old bloke next to Obi Wan and Yoda is.
Having said that, surely anyone can see that Jabba in the first film is absolutely shit.
A Blu Ray with an option to insert or remove the Special Edition changes as required:
- Slapstick Jawas at Mos Eisley? No thanks.
- Cut and Paste Jabba? No thanks.
- Greedo shoots first? No thanks.
- Better shots of Falcon Lleaving Mos Eisley and X-Wings leaving Yavin IV? Yes please.
- Reshot Wampa? Yes please.
- Extra windows in Bespin? Yes please.
- Aubrey style Sarlac? - Er... maybe. Depends on my mood.
etc.
It's only a Star Wars...
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt1mh3KPaV1qi7m5p.gif)
Quote from: JamesC on 19 August, 2014, 12:52:00 PM
they may wonder who the old bloke next to Obi Wan and Yoda is.
He's in the film a scant 5 minutes before when Luke removes Vaders helmet. Haydenisaton can never be justified.
Quote from: James Stacey on 19 August, 2014, 01:33:56 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 19 August, 2014, 12:52:00 PM
they may wonder who the old bloke next to Obi Wan and Yoda is.
He's in the film a scant 5 minutes before when Luke removes Vaders helmet. Haydenisaton can never be justified.
Yeah but he looks quite different with the scars, bald head and whatnot. Hayden is still more recognisable as Annakin to a post New Trilogy audience.
Would love it if this happens as I find the Special Editions completely unwatchable (much like the newer films).
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 19 August, 2014, 12:57:14 PM
A Blu Ray with an option to insert or remove the Special Edition changes as required:
- Slapstick Jawas at Mos Eisley? No thanks.
- Cut and Paste Jabba? No thanks.
- Greedo shoots first? No thanks.
- Better shots of Falcon Lleaving Mos Eisley and X-Wings leaving Yavin IV? Yes please.
- Reshot Wampa? Yes please.
- Extra windows in Bespin? Yes please.
- Aubrey style Sarlac? - Er... maybe. Depends on my mood.
etc.
This (apart from the unforgiveable Aubrey/Audrey gaffe).
Without having to dredge through 37 pages, what's the latest confirmed info?
Quote from: Proudhuff on 19 August, 2014, 02:45:52 PM
Without having to dredge through 37 pages, what's the latest confirmed info?
They're making three new SW movies. The first one has most of the old cast and a spread of decent young'uns. They shot some location footage on Skellig Michael, and more in a desert near Abu Dhabi. 'Leaked' photos suggest that the Falcon and redesigned X-Wings, AT-ATs and Stormtroopers will be in it, along with a heavy emphasis on practical effects.
No-one's sure if it will be any good. All fear lens-flare.
Quote from: Official Hawkeye Pierce Action Figure on 19 August, 2014, 03:32:44 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 19 August, 2014, 02:45:52 PM
Without having to dredge through 37 pages, what's the latest confirmed info?
They're making three new SW movies. The first one has most of the old cast and a spread of decent young'uns. They shot some location footage on Skellig Michael, and more in a desert near Abu Dhabi. 'Leaked' photos suggest that the Falcon and redesigned X-Wings, AT-ATs and Stormtroopers will be in it, along with a heavy emphasis on practical effects.
No-one's sure if it will be any good. All fear lens-flare.
^^^^^^^^^^^
This.
All things considered I think I just want the original original versions - no cgi tweaks at all.
The enhanced spaceship stuff and Death Star explosions aren't as egregious as the other changes, but still stand out like a sore thumb in what are pretty old films.
As for the new films, lens flare schmens flare. My main concern is that they'll be too fan-servicey - for example if the first appearance of Han Solo is him gunning someone down and then saying "I ALWAYS shoot first", just stopping short of winking to camera, I may just get up and walk out of the cinema.
Quote from: link=topic=37350.msg840721#msg840721 date=1408424316
Mark my words, this is happening.
Yeah, i can see it happening as well. So,
if it does, i'd be happy for the discs to contain both cuts.
I'll never have an interest in watching any of the "special" editions (I stick to the poor DVDs released as extras years back when I watch), but if it comes down to it, I'd go for a set that contains all versions of the films, ala the treatment Blade Runner got.
In my dreams we get the OG remastered versions of all the films, stocked with all the classic documentaries - such as The Making of Star Wars and From Star Wars to Jedi right up through the cool laserdisc extras and all the cool cast interviews from the 70's and 80's.
all the fuss over lens flare ::)
there was lens flare when the falcon came out of the sun to rescue luke's x-wing from vader...
Quote from: Grugz on 19 August, 2014, 04:31:51 PM
all the fuss over lens flare ::)
there was lens flare when the falcon came out of the sun to rescue luke's x-wing from vader...
I get the impression that lens flare
-per se- is not the issue for most viewers; it's more the overuse of it in what could be considered the
average scene. In its context your isolated example is legitimate, but in contrast, the interiors of the
Death Star aren't an orgy of light-fractured beams.
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 19 August, 2014, 04:30:31 PM
I'll never have an interest in watching any of the "special" editions (I stick to the poor DVDs released as extras years back when I watch), but if it comes down to it, I'd go for a set that contains all versions of the films, ala the treatment Blade Runner got.
In my dreams we get the OG remastered versions of all the films, stocked with all the classic documentaries - such as The Making of Star Wars and From Star Wars to Jedi right up through the cool laserdisc extras and all the cool cast interviews from the 70's and 80's.
That'd be great.
Ideally we'd get steelbook editions, or at least a nice box set, that use all the original poster artwork instead of the photoshop-abominations of recent years.
Den of Geek have put up another article about the possibility of the release - I definitely agree that Disney releasing the original trailers online last year is relevant - it was this that made me certain that a rerelease of the originals was in the offing. All in all, it just makes
perfect sense for them to do this now - all of the arguments 'against' it happening don't - to me - seem to hold much water.
http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31764/star-wars-original-cuts-on-blu-ray-the-evidence (http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars/31764/star-wars-original-cuts-on-blu-ray-the-evidence)
Got to say, the prospect of being able to rewatch the original trilogy, as I remember them, in glorious HD before going to see VII has got me much more fired up about the new trilogy.
I wouldn't mind an edition with just Star Wars and Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope. It only amounts to a few frames, but it would be really special to me.
Quote
there was lens flare when the falcon came out of the sun to rescue luke's x-wing from vader...
Gah! Spoilers...!!!
Quote from: radiator on 19 August, 2014, 04:16:46 PM
..if the first appearance of Han Solo is him gunning someone down and then saying "I ALWAYS shoot first", just stopping short of winking to camera, I may just get up and walk out of the cinema.
The ethereal wisps of optimism engendered by Mark Hamill's excellent beard have just blown away in the face of this onrushing tempest of likelihood.
Quote from: Banners on 19 August, 2014, 09:00:58 PM
Quote
there was lens flare when the falcon came out of the sun to rescue luke's x-wing from vader...
Gah! Spoilers...!!!
never said if he succeeded ;)
Quote from: Official Hawkeye Pierce Action Figure on 19 August, 2014, 03:32:44 PM
Quote from: Proudhuff on 19 August, 2014, 02:45:52 PM
Without having to dredge through 37 pages, what's the latest confirmed info?
They're making three new SW movies. The first one has most of the old cast and a spread of decent young'uns. They shot some location footage on Skellig Michael, and more in a desert near Abu Dhabi. 'Leaked' photos suggest that the Falcon and redesigned X-Wings, AT-ATs and Stormtroopers will be in it, along with a heavy emphasis on practical effects.
No-one's sure if it will be any good. All fear lens-flare.
Cheers madear
The extraordinary lengths a group of fans -with skills- went to, to de-construct Star Wars back to its original form, and ended up doing a better job than Lucasfilm:
Star Wars: Despecialized Edition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHfLX_TMduY)
excellent stuff...well done them...
I have noticed lucasney haven't debunked the leaked trooper helmets yet
That's astonishing stuff. Bravo!
My god! That's astounding!! :o Must get a copy!!
That is brilliant as it is utterly insane.
I remember hearing about that when it was starting off. They claimed they were going to make some small changes. Things like in where, in the original footage, some storm troopers fall over even though they haven't been hit by any laser bolts. Lucas didn't correct these little errors because he's a lazy hack.
Also has anyone heard of the re-edited prequels by Topher Grace off of out of that That '70s Show? Apparently he wanted to work on the other side of the camera, so he set himself the task of editing all three prequels down to one 90 minute movie. He supposedly got it down to 85 minutes, the first scene is the death of Liam Neeson and it is apparently an absolute triumph. Obviously, with all the legal shizzle-whizzle it'll never see public release, but I'm surprised and disappointed it hasn't been "leaked" online.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 21 August, 2014, 03:41:10 AM
The extraordinary lengths a group of fans -with skills- went to, to de-construct Star Wars back to its original form, and ended up doing a better job than Lucasfilm:
Star Wars: Despecialized Edition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHfLX_TMduY)
Given all the effort, it seems too well hidden on the interent. I've given up trying to find it, anyway
C-3P0...
(http://i.imgur.com/r3yP9mV.jpg)
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 21 August, 2014, 08:06:58 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 21 August, 2014, 03:41:10 AM
The extraordinary lengths a group of fans -with skills- went to, to de-construct Star Wars back to its original form, and ended up doing a better job than Lucasfilm:
Star Wars: Despecialized Edition (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHfLX_TMduY)
Given all the effort, it seems too well hidden on the interent. I've given up trying to find it, anyway
Really ? It took me about 2 mins to find. Search on its CRC - CRC32: 42A67CC6 Just drop that into google and you'll find what you need.
EPISODE VII SPOILER FOLLOWS
YOU
HAVE
BEEN
WARNED
Liking this Browncoat chiq:
(http://www.theforce.net/2014/EPVIIHANSOLO1.jpg)
http://www.theforce.net/story/front/Two_Leaked_Preliminary_Sketches_Showcase_Han_Solos_Attire_For_Star_Wars_Episode_VII_159436.asp
New Star Wars Rebels short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9waYcrE8k
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 02 September, 2014, 05:13:42 PM
New Star Wars Rebels short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9waYcrE8k
Quite liked that one, although I think it missed an opportunity for more accent-diversity among the Imperials - after all, Biggs and apocryphally Han were TIE fighter pilots in their day, and they didn't sound like Bullingdon Boys. Going to be interesting to see if this series can escape its derivative setup, it certainly has the technical ability: the visuals are consistently gorgeous.
Quoteafter all, Biggs and apocryphally Han were TIE fighter pilots in their day
So - totally different to this guy? Half full, man! HALF FULL!
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 02 September, 2014, 06:13:22 PM
Quoteafter all, Biggs and apocryphally Han were TIE fighter pilots in their day
So - totally different to this guy? Half full, man! HALF FULL!
Heh! Nah it's just that all the bucket-heads in the shorts and clips so far have had a peculiarly terrible American version of an English accent - I get that most Imperial officers in the OT were played by English actors, but did the entire Empire come from the Home Counties? Given the established diversity of pilot origins (which would have included Luke had things played out differently down on the farm), there was room for something different here.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 02 September, 2014, 05:13:42 PM
New Star Wars Rebels short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yy9waYcrE8k
Looks like they're calling-in that payment on the original Ulysses 31 lightsaber/gun
rip-off homage:
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/SLINGSHOT_zps8914b450.jpg)
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/SLINGSHOT2_zpsa995ad32.jpg)
Knew I'd seen that somewhere before, cheers Joe! Pretty cute gadget all the same.
Someone takes photo of set at Greenham Common, guess it's Rebel Base at some green planet?
(http://i.imgur.com/rmUp2At.jpg)
What a piece of junk!
Cheers
Jim
Does that photo really require two massive arrows pointing at the only two things to look at? it's not as though they're small models.
...also... did he REALLY put his name on it?
Possibly not a good idea!
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 10 September, 2014, 07:54:04 PM
...also... did he REALLY put his name on it?
Possibly not a good idea!
Oh yes I agree with you! :-\
Another photo of the film set
(http://i.imgur.com/C6OJ6ML.jpg)
I can see Disney ordering missile launchers...
...there is definitely more than one person willing to spend their days microlighting over a film set for AMAZINGLY OUT OF CONTEXT PICTURES.
It's... sort of terrifying.
First Episode VII footage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMbUlxXhu4).
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 September, 2014, 01:15:45 AM
First Episode VII footage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMbUlxXhu4).
Greenham Common (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Greenham_Common)? Wouldn't be the first time that site's been besieged by folk with bad hair, no fashion sense, and some ideas considered odd by mainstream society:
QuoteGAMA was a maximum security QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) area with 6 large above ground shelters in which fully operational cruise missiles were stored.
These shelters were specially designed and constructed to protect the GLCMs and crews against nuclear and conventional strikes. They were about 10 m high, with a reinforced 2 m thick concrete ceiling. Below was a massive titanium plate, 3 m of sand and a reinforced concrete plate. The shelters were completely covered with tons of clay. Each shelter was equipped with three hydraulic nuclear blast proof doors at both ends to assure a quick entry or exit. They were designed to withstand the blast of an air-bursting nuclear explosion above the base or a direct hit from a 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) conventional bomb ...
... and are capable of breaking the legs of elderly film stars. Those crazy lesbians were right - that base is a fucking danger.
Quote from: sauchie karate club on 11 September, 2014, 07:08:32 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 11 September, 2014, 01:15:45 AM
First Episode VII footage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMbUlxXhu4).
Greenham Common (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Greenham_Common)? Wouldn't be the first time that site's been besieged by folk with bad hair, no fashion sense, and some ideas considered odd by mainstream society:
QuoteGAMA was a maximum security QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) area with 6 large above ground shelters in which fully operational cruise missiles were stored.
These shelters were specially designed and constructed to protect the GLCMs and crews against nuclear and conventional strikes. They were about 10 m high, with a reinforced 2 m thick concrete ceiling. Below was a massive titanium plate, 3 m of sand and a reinforced concrete plate. The shelters were completely covered with tons of clay. Each shelter was equipped with three hydraulic nuclear blast proof doors at both ends to assure a quick entry or exit. They were designed to withstand the blast of an air-bursting nuclear explosion above the base or a direct hit from a 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) conventional bomb ...
... and are capable of breaking the legs of elderly film stars. Those crazy lesbians were right - that base is a fucking danger.
Best post ever!
Quote from: Goaty on 10 September, 2014, 08:00:19 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 10 September, 2014, 07:54:04 PM
...also... did he REALLY put his name on it?
Possibly not a good idea!
Oh yes I agree with you! :-\
Wait until he sues you for reposting his IP without permission. That photo's all over the internet, he could make a fortune!
'leaked' 'concept art'. To my eyes, it looks like [spoiler]Daisy Ridley's[/spoiler] character has a [spoiler]Nikolai Dante-esque bio-blade/cyborg lightsaber hand[/spoiler]. Or it could just be that the guy who did the sketch [spoiler]can't draw hands well[/spoiler].
http://toybox.io9.com/is-this-what-daisy-ridleys-star-wars-character-looks-li-1633902681/+riamisra (http://toybox.io9.com/is-this-what-daisy-ridleys-star-wars-character-looks-li-1633902681/+riamisra)
Set Video (https://www.facebook.com/rick.lawrence.49?fref=nf#!/video.php?v=769675376404113&set=vb.100000849740287&type=2&theater)
(http://i.imgur.com/6EmuZ0q.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/ymE9UOV.jpg)
So in Star Wars Universe, 30 years later nothing changes, no upgrade on equipment and clothes?
Quote from: Goaty on 12 September, 2014, 06:17:22 PM
So in Star Wars Universe, 30 years later nothing changes, no upgrade on equipment and clothes?
How different does current military tech like aircraft and armour look from that on show in Top Gun (1986)?
Quote from: sauchie karate club on 12 September, 2014, 06:37:50 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 12 September, 2014, 06:17:22 PM
So in Star Wars Universe, 30 years later nothing changes, no upgrade on equipment and clothes?
How different does current military tech like aircraft and armour look from that on show in Top Gun (1986)?
Game. Set. Match.
Quote from: sauchie karate club on 12 September, 2014, 06:37:50 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 12 September, 2014, 06:17:22 PM
So in Star Wars Universe, 30 years later nothing changes, no upgrade on equipment and clothes?
How different does current military tech like aircraft and armour look from that on show in Top Gun (1986)?
Hot Shot!
So it all same as 30 years ago for latest Star Wars, then everyone having 70s haircuts??
Nostalgia sells so there's bound to be 70's style haircuts somewhere.
Quote from: Goaty on 12 September, 2014, 06:54:06 PM
So it all same as 30 years ago for latest Star Wars, then everyone having 70s haircuts??
and don't forget the flares .... and the snorkel coats with the furry fringe ...
The Millennium Falcon really is made of junk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4)
Quote from: von Boom on 18 September, 2014, 09:09:09 PM
The Millennium Falcon really is made of junk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4)
Ugh. There's something terribly soulless about that build (too much random gribbling at that scale), and it's vaguely dispiriting knowing that my favourite vehicle of all time now has one of those poxy batmobiles stuck to its arse.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/24/star-wars-episode-vii-oscar-isaac-stormtroopers-empire
Quote"There's a lot of enthusiasm [on the set] and it's being done with a lot of heart," said Isaac, who plays an unspecified role. "There's nothing cynical about the way we're doing this. Even in the way he's shooting it — he's shooting on film and actually building the sets, so you've got hundreds of Stormtroopers or whatever, and hundreds of extras and all the ships. You actually see it. It's all real."
Quote from: TordelBack on 20 September, 2014, 02:07:28 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 18 September, 2014, 09:09:09 PM
The Millennium Falcon really is made of junk:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C7lUfVIOa4)
Ugh. There's something terribly soulless about that build (too much random gribbling at that scale), and it's vaguely dispiriting knowing that my favourite vehicle of all time now has one of those poxy batmobiles stuck to its arse.
It's not a new thing though - ESB (Presumably) had a potato in the asteroid field and I remember reading about a trainer being stuck as a ship in one shot.
R2-D2 and C3PO in Raiders, R2-D2 in CE3K.
I don't know why but I've got a hunch that tumblr was added digitally, the tracking looks a little off at the end.
I may be imagining it, seems a lot less effort to glue a kit to the underside.
True, all true, and there are many more examples. In this instance it's more a dislike of the intimacy of the footage in advance of seeing the film - we all know movie horses are actually cats taped together, but somehow being shown that before experiencing the illusion is disappointing. Also, I hate that tumbler thing. Not My Batmobile.
Have to say that I've enjoyed some of the Greenham Common close-ups - the use of a [spoiler]new rectangular sensor dish[/spoiler] on the Falcon is downright clever, and the [spoiler]black NeXt-Wing colour scheme[/spoiler] has a sleekness to it that works well with the design.
Quote from: TordelBack on 24 September, 2014, 08:38:25 PM
the use of a [spoiler]new rectangular sensor dish[/spoiler] on the Falcon is downright clever
Does the Falcon being fitted with[spoiler] a squarial[/spoiler] mean the sequels are set in the late eighties? Han's going to be disappointed when he finds out he can't get the wrestling.
another new stealth/elite trooper?
http://jediinsider.com/index.php?catid=243&itemid=15859
Quote from: Grugz on 27 September, 2014, 10:16:16 PM
another new stealth/elite trooper action figure?
FTFY
'Sa Darktrooper Phase III, innit? Let me just recharge the ol' Bryar Pistol...
Not the new films butilove this silly conspiracy theory:
http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/09/26/boba-fett-killed-who-in-star-wars-this-explains-everything-2299242?lt_source=external,manual (http://moviepilot.com/posts/2014/09/26/boba-fett-killed-who-in-star-wars-this-explains-everything-2299242?lt_source=external,manual)
I found that quite enjoyable, and I' don't even have a Boba Fetish
liked that pete,also saw a bit somewhere explaining how storm troopers aren't crap shots pertaining to a conspiracy theory they were ordered to miss the rebels on purpose so they would escape and lead the death star to yavin (explains the four ties after them) stormtroopers did ok when they boarded the tantive 4 and invaded hoth ,plus if they were crack shots all the time the star wars saga wouldn't have made it out of docking bay 94
Lots of good stuff coming out over the past day or so. Details on Max von Sydow's character, a probable name for Our Hero: [spoiler]Kira[/spoiler], and the (almost definite) role of that AT-AT foot from Abu Dhabi. All seems quite positive. At some point I'm going to have to shut down and stop reading spoilers, but there's still 15 months to go!
more spoilerific rumours about [spoiler]luke skywalker being the real big bad after turning to the dark side[/spoiler] if that turned out to be true I'm undecided as to wether I'd like that or not.
Quote from: Grugz on 05 October, 2014, 12:11:56 PM
more spoilerific rumours about [spoiler]luke skywalker being the real big bad after turning to the dark side[/spoiler] if that turned out to be true I'm undecided as to wether I'd like that or not.
I hope that's wrong.
Cheers
Where are these rumours coming from?
My arse
Good answer :lol:
Quote from: Batman's Superior Cousin on 05 October, 2014, 07:28:49 PM
Where are these rumours coming from?
t'interweb ::)
most of the good uns are from indie revolver and latino review
If you don't want to be spoiled for Episode VII - stay away from this cache of convincing concept art:
http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/2014/10/massive-amount-of-episode-vii-concept.html
Ooooooootini! That's the stuff alright. Spoilerific indeed, pretty much all images that have been described in earlier spoilers, but a bit of a treat all the same. I like the small starship designs a lot, and [spoiler]Kira's[/spoiler] draft costuming looks pretty cool (but then so did the Prequel Jedi concept art ::)). Not so sure about the [spoiler]rather Revan-alike could-be-Luke-with-a-shave Sithly[/spoiler] chap. I suppose we'll know [spoiler]if Hamill loses the beard[/spoiler] before production wraps.
More here:
https://imageshack.com/user/themillenniumfalcon
Tasty - nice to see art relating to the Irish shoot, and hopefully it'll look a little less Weta / Game of Thrones in the final thing. However, I do sincerely wish we could move on from [spoiler]Vader[/spoiler], both in terms of imagery and presumably plot. I know Disney bought that well-flogged horse, but surely only for glue?
Generally rather positive stuff. Thanks as ever to Mighty Joe Not-so-young. Now, I must unsee what I have seen.
If the Empire are as active as they seem to be in this, those galaxy-wide victory celebrations at the end of ReDux ROTJ look even more stupid. Should've stuck with a more grounded bit of Yub Nub (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6vAuS0KNs), George.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 October, 2014, 11:25:33 AM
If the Empire are as active as they seem to be in this, those galaxy-wide victory celebrations at the end of ReDux ROTJ look even more stupid. Should've stuck with a more grounded bit of Yub Nub (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6vAuS0KNs), George.
Wouldn't be the first George to somewhat overstate the magnitude and finality of a victory. (http://youtu.be/5BIW6qyrdu4?t=37s)
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 15 October, 2014, 11:39:02 AM
Wouldn't be the first George to somewhat overstate the magnitude and finality of a victory. (http://youtu.be/5BIW6qyrdu4?t=37s)
Aye but George and his army seemed to be the only ones celebrating. The rest of the world did a collective cringe.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 October, 2014, 11:25:33 AM
Should've stuck with a more grounded bit of Yub Nub (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=np6vAuS0KNs), George.
That goes without saying.
The idea that the selfsame Galactic Empire has been slogging on regardless for 30 years after the loss of its evil architect is one even the books and comics eventually abandoned. However, if
Rebels has taught us anything, it's that the
Nazis Imperials really do have the best uniforms and the coolest toys: and that goes a long way to making us feel at home in the story (and Disney did pay handsomely for that particular dressing-up box).
If I was looking for a parallel for what we're seeing in what has already been tried sequel-wise over the long decades since
Jedi, Tom Veitch and Cam Kennedy's original, and quite brilliant,
Dark Empire (ignore the two sequels) seems to be the closest fit*. Even though that was set 5-or-so years later rather than several decades, the devastation of a protracted galaxy-wide civil war looks very similar - right down to the employment of [spoiler]ageing/fallen war machines like the AT-AT[/spoiler] as counterparts to newer shiner materiel.
As ever I'd prefer something entirely new, but if you're going to tread old ground so committedly as this production seems to be doing, you could do a
lot worse than to try to emulate Cam Kennedy.
*Although I can see a bit of Ostrander and Duursema's
Legacy in there too, especially in the look of the Imperials.
(http://i.imgur.com/MyEOPyP.jpg?1) (http://i.imgur.com/NB5r2MQ.jpg?1)
May 1945 August 1945
... and that was only one war on one planet. Similarly, the death/unseating of the leaders who started the conflict didn't mean a hasty resolution for the United States' participation in the Vietnamese civil war - they just appointed someone even more evil to take over from them - and eventual military defeat in that theatre didn't mean that the US scrapped its fleet and abandoned its imperial ambitions.
Star Wars is always going to be earnest and slightly dull guys wearing terry towelling bath robes versus Nazis wearing armour manufactured by Armitage Shanks.
Quote from: sauchie outbreak on 15 October, 2014, 12:58:20 PM...armour manufactured by Armitage Shanks.
Heh. The first time I ever heard of Star Wars was in an interview on Pebble Mill, presumably around the time of the film's UK release, when that very issue was raised: a stormtrooper costume in the studio was described as being 'made of toilet plumbing', or words to that effect. The only clip shown on that occasion was of Han, Luke and Chewie in the red control room on the Death Star, with the two lads wearing their purloined armour, leaving me convinced that the guys in white were the goodies, but probably smelled of wee. Boy was I confused, a situation aggravated when the biggest kid in my class
insisted the villain was called 'Dark Vayther', and would brook no dissent.
Cheers for links Joe.
I'm shocked- it really looks like Luke [spoiler]has embraced the Dark Side[/spoiler]!
Quote from: TordelBack on 15 October, 2014, 01:12:11 PM
Quote from: sauchie outbreak on 15 October, 2014, 12:58:20 PM...armour manufactured by Armitage Shanks.
Heh. The first time I ever heard of Star Wars was in an interview on Pebble Mill, presumably around the time of the film's UK release, when that very issue was raised: a stormtrooper costume in the studio was described as being 'made of toilet plumbing', or words to that effect.
At that moment, an invisible corridor opened up across the Irish Sea, connecting our two malleable, pre-teen minds as we both watched the same rubbish daytime telly. I thought that was a hopelessly obscure reference, but you've proven there's no matter Star Wars so recondite it lies outside your purview.
I'm never going to look at a sandtrooper the same way again...
(http://img1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121215221022/starwars/images/c/c5/Stormtrooper_Search.png)
Quote from: TordelBack on 15 October, 2014, 01:12:11 PM
Quote from: sauchie outbreak on 15 October, 2014, 12:58:20 PM...armour manufactured by Armitage Shanks.
Heh. The first time I ever heard of Star Wars was in an interview on Pebble Mill, presumably around the time of the film's UK release, when that very issue was raised: a stormtrooper costume in the studio was described as being 'made of toilet plumbing', or words to that effect. The only clip shown on that occasion was of Han, Luke and Chewie in the red control room on the Death Star, with the two lads wearing their purloined armour,
I saw it first on Tomorrows World of all place. They had a feature on the computer effects which were considered ground breaking for the day. Ah so long ago...
Quote from: sauchie outbreak on 15 October, 2014, 01:43:36 PM
At that moment, an invisible corridor opened up across the Irish Sea, connecting our two malleable, pre-teen minds as we both watched the same rubbish daytime telly.
Blimey, that's a bit of a freaky one!
Quote from: some gobshite on an Episode VII forumJeez....some of you guys really need to stop drinking from the red placenta koolaid.....any dissatisfaction over the idea of a female lead, and you'll turn into jedi white knights in woman's defense....haha! funny. jedi white knights.
I've resigned to the fact that this Star wars ST is going to be female oriented. I even predicted it the day GL sold to disney. It's to be expected, it's the times we're living in...man bad/woman good.
I'm going to watch it regardless cause it's Star wars, suspending my disbelief mind you.
But to be honest, all this "strong female" nonsense is really becoming quite tiresome. [emphasis mine]
I know this is cross-infection from other threads, and I should be following anti-contamination procedures, but this is more joy from the online world we apparently live in. A fine structuralist analysis, I'm sure you'll agree. Star Wars Episode VII: where the only suspension of disbelief required is that there could be a female hero.
He probably doesn't like ALIEN either...
It's only a film.
[spoiler]AT-AT[/spoiler]!
Quote from: Spikes on 15 October, 2014, 06:01:12 PM
[spoiler]AT-AT[/spoiler]!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UmEch1eRXo
http://nukethefridge.com/2014/10/15/huge-collection-leaked-star-wars-episode-vii-concept-art/
some bigger pics here...
I'm wondering if max von sydows [spoiler]alledged cyborg character could be the dude yoricking vaders lid?[/spoiler]
Those AT-AT pieces are great. I used to put my toy AT-AT (best Christmas present ever) on its side and use it as a base/prison for my action figures. If this is in the film then Lucasfilm/JJ Abrams has made my dreams come true. :D
Quote from: Goaty on 15 October, 2014, 04:58:23 PM
It's only a film.
I think you mean: "it's only a film that doesn't have my username plastered all over it". ;)
Quote from: Grugz on 16 October, 2014, 03:30:42 PM
I'm wondering if max von sydows [spoiler]alledged cyborg character could be the dude yoricking vaders lid?[/spoiler]
My current uninformed feeling on this is that we're looking at two different characters who have shared the same visual concept at different times during pre-production - the [spoiler]cyborg look may have started out as the Big Bad, but then fetched up on MvS's character, who seems like he might be more of a veteran/junk dealer type[/spoiler]. I can't imagine there are [spoiler]
two significant heavily cyborgised[/spoiler] fellas - but either could plausibly have got hold of [spoiler]Vader's helmet[/spoiler] (opportunity to revisit some Ewoks there!). If Abrams' process is anything like Lucas' ( :-\) , concept art gets generated to a fairly wide brief, and then assigned to elements other than that which it was originally intended.
Quote from: TordelBack on 16 October, 2014, 04:23:18 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 15 October, 2014, 04:58:23 PM
It's only a film.
I think you mean: "it's only a film that doesn't have my username plastered all over it". ;)
GOOD! As those Star Wars fans does scared me!
Bit of plastic...
https://uk.yahoo.com/movies/50k-star-wars-prop-dismissed-as-bit-of-plastic-by-100492520961.html?vp=1 (https://uk.yahoo.com/movies/50k-star-wars-prop-dismissed-as-bit-of-plastic-by-100492520961.html?vp=1)
tim(its a trap!) rose's wife says he's not allowed to disclose wether or not he's involved with ep 7 ...make of that what you will,or wont. ;)
Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens - http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/11/06/star-wars-episode-vii-breaking/
It's already been Unleashed, now it's Awakened - if this is the first instalment of a FORCE trilogy, Disney need to think of two more active verbs and tenses from the same lexical index for The Force to get up to.
The Force Unzipped?
The Force Aroused?
The Force Erect?
What an uninspiring title!
I forgot Balanced. The Force has also been Balanced.
I do not like that title.
It would've been much better if it was called The Force Untethered or something. :lol:
Hmmm, a bit tame, but maybe it'll grow on me. I've always felt that the opening crawls (and by extension the titles) have been notably silent on the subject of the Force, almost as if 'the narrator' saw things in terms of good and evil, rather than Dark and Light Sides, with the Jedi and the Sith having political roles as much as anything else - perhaps suggesting that from an outside or historical perspective the Force isn't quite what its adherents believe it to be. Interesting if, as Lucas has hinted (when he's in the mood to pretend that he had an outline worked out since the '70s), the third trilogy was slated to explore the grey areas between the two opposing views.
The title is almost Newtonian.
Star Wars: The Force Reacted Upon Equals The Force Applied
The Force Hurts.
That's what I'd have called it.
The Force Awakens - I thought we'd all ready mounted that narrative hump in A New Hope with Luke "learning the ways".
ahhh who cares bout the title its the film after the crawl that matters.
Quote from: JamesC on 06 November, 2014, 08:25:38 PM
The Force Hurts
The Force Easens *
*
shut up - that's good. Better than The Force Isters, or The Force Core, anyway. I'm just bummed I couldn't rehash the homophyny of The Two Ronnies' Fork Handles sketch
At first I thought 'When did it fall asleep?' But then I remembered Eps1 - 3.
I see a few of you have beaten me to it!
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 08 November, 2014, 02:09:53 AM
Anybody read about this yet......
The Force Awakens (http://www.msn.com/en-au/movies/news/official-title-for-new-star-wars-movie-revealed/ar-BBdl3YI)
Here is my entry.....
A Disturbance in the Forceor
The Force Disturbance!
There's something about Leia
Dude, where's my Force
Greedo Strikes Back
Driving Miss Mothma
I was a teenage Wookie
All the above are far more effective in my opinion! :D
Quote from: Muscleman on 08 November, 2014, 08:41:30 AM
I was a teenage Wookie
Wookie
e, FFS ::). I ask you, is this sloppiness emblematic of modern nerdom? Less time complaining about
Big Bang Theory on Twitter, more time studying the Canon, that's my advice. Abrams is all you deserve.
Quote from: TordelBack on 08 November, 2014, 11:34:24 AM
Quote from: Muscleman on 08 November, 2014, 08:41:30 AM
I was a teenage Wookie
Wookiee, FFS ::). I ask you, is this sloppiness emblematic of modern nerdom? Less time complaining about Big Bang Theory on Twitter, more time studying the Canon, that's my advice. Abrams is all you deserve.
If you think that's bad, have a look at the sig beneath his post. Anakin would be spinning in his funeral pyre!
Bah, who cares about 'little Anakin!'
I know it's Wookiee (with a double 'e'), prefer to spell it with just one. As for Kashyyyk, well that's a different matter!
http://www.shavenwookie.com/versus.html
Check out his 2nd bullet point! :lol:
Why do you prefer to spell "wookie" with one "e"? Out of curiosity.
Edit: never mind, I clicked the link for that other guy's reasons.
Quote from: Muscleman on 08 November, 2014, 12:24:23 PM
http://www.shavenwookie.com/versus.html
Taking pride in misspelling. The shadow of the Dark Side, that is. Need it, you do not.
An entirely different matter, creative grammar is.
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 08 November, 2014, 12:32:10 PM
Why do you prefer to spell "wookie" with one "e"? Out of curiosity.
Edit: never mind, I clicked the link for that other guy's reasons.
I remember reading a Star Wars book as a young boy (it was after ROTJ), and Wookiee was written with one 'e'. I encountered that 'error' many times afterwards and I think it just stuck...
I think that's the only Star Wars related misspelling I could live with. When it comes to names like Yarael Poof or Grand Moff Tarkin, I strive to spell them in the correct manner! :lol:
There's a character called Poof?
Quote from: JamesC on 08 November, 2014, 01:08:33 PM
There's a character called Poof?
Yes there is James, he's that fella with the long neck who's seen in Phantom Menace (member of the Jedi Council):
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yarael_Poof
Quote from: Muscleman on 08 November, 2014, 01:19:04 PM
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Yarael_Poof
"Master Poof lectures on his abilities to bend the perceptions of others"—snigger—Jim
I've just had an idea for a show which combines the successful MasterChef and Queer Eye For The Straight Guy formats. Stephen Fry to host.
Worst ever is Kit Fisto
Word has it that we'll see the teaser trailer within the next three weeks, possibly on't telly before it arrives in cinemas attached to Five Armies. Although I have hardened my heart against hope, still it beats faster.
"For next weekend only (not sure if it's Fri/Sat/Sun or just Sat/Sun) a 90 second trailer for the new Star Wars will appear before every single showtime for every single movie at 100 theaters nationwide. I don't know exactly which theaters (except for one). Word has it Disney told all theaters getting the trailer that Big Hero 6 had to be the earliest showtime for each day (assuming that the fans will all buy a ticket to the earliest showing possible)."
http://collider.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-trailer-release-date/#q28FLHz9tbv6H6MR.99
A GIF supposedly from the new trailer (http://i.imgur.com/87eSSNW.gif)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 23 November, 2014, 04:42:56 PM
"For next weekend only (not sure if it's Fri/Sat/Sun or just Sat/Sun) a 90 second trailer for the new Star Wars will appear before every single showtime for every single movie at 100 theaters nationwide. I don't know exactly which theaters (except for one). Word has it Disney told all theaters getting the trailer that Big Hero 6 had to be the earliest showtime for each day (assuming that the fans will all buy a ticket to the earliest showing possible)."
Supposedly debunked rumour, I'm afraid.
Quote from: Batman's Superior Cousin on 23 November, 2014, 05:00:24 PM
A GIF supposedly from the new trailer (http://i.imgur.com/87eSSNW.gif)
also been debunked :(
Quote from: Grugz on 23 November, 2014, 05:19:22 PM
Quote from: Batman's Superior Cousin on 23 November, 2014, 05:00:24 PM
A GIF supposedly from the new trailer (http://i.imgur.com/87eSSNW.gif)
also been debunked :(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaLxFIVX1s
Heh, that monstrosity never gets old! While we wait, just watched the final episode this year for Rebels, which after 8 installments is definitely the best Star Wars spinoff since Jedi. Tonight's story was terrific, with some really incredible lighting effects and musical cues. It remains desperately, almost monomaniacally, derivative of the OT and McQuarrie's designs, and the circles it travels in are very small indeed, but it's really good fun and has actual heart, and given the incredibly short lead-in time it had it's a bit of a marvel that it works this well. The choice of more static models and rather bland styling for the characters has been in favour of lavishly painted backdrops and thoughtful use of colour, which have really paid off in establishing a widescreen feel and depth for its small universe.
It's a great show, and it deserves to do well, my only regret being that it exists instead of a proper conclusion to Clone Wars. I think we're going to rewatch the whole thing again this week. Now if only Santa could get hold of an Inquisitor and a Chopper before Christmas (already secured a Zeb)...
I too was watching the latest Rebels and thought (1) if the rebels aren't getting great mileage out of that stretch of motorway, the animators certainly are, and (2) whoever scored the episode is as big a fan of the Cutthroat Island soundtrack as I am, especially "Carriage Chase", which has been lovingly reproduced almost note-for note when they're having that... erm... carriage chase on the motorway.
Quote from: TordelBack on 23 November, 2014, 06:44:56 PM
It's a great show, and it deserves to do well, my only regret being that it exists instead of a proper conclusion to Clone Wars.
Instead of, eh?
The Lost Missions (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/The_Clone_Wars:_The_Lost_Missions) wrap up some stuff don't they?
...hm well no, like most of the Clone Wars I expect it just pads out what we already know to the point of madness....
I've been enjoying Rebels though - the last one 'Empire Day' was quite silly and childish but there's been more continuity cake than I was anticipating and it seems to be rattling along at a good pace rather than just treading water.
Lost Missions really only wraps up Yoda's arc to any convincing degree, in giving a reason for him to be the yellowbelly who runs away and hides for decades while the galaxy succumbs to the iron grip of tyranny, but otherwise it was one hellaciously bad season the longer I think about it - a three-part story about banking loans in the for-sure final season ever? REALLY? A three-part story that hinges on whether or not a character will reveal the clones' secret programming to kill all the Jedi - REALLY REALLY?
I suppose it was at least a good paradigm of the rest of Clone Wars, which tended to fumble the ball more often than it scored, despite some great production values and a team of creators determined to polish the heck out of whatever turd was flushed down the tube from the producers' office, with even the worst of episodes having something to recommend them, like the comic timing and shameless nostalgia in the Jarjar/Droids mash-up, or the lengthy single-take action scenes in the theatrical pilot and Lost Missions opener.
Don't get me started on the bullshit Asoka Tano character arc wrap-up, though. Someone here on the board suggested years ago that the character arc would probably end in exactly the way it did, and I recall dismissing the notion because of how it would simply leave a major character dangling at a loose end somewhere in the continuity of a franchise notorious for its expanded universe (even the kid from the Ewoks telemovies turned up in spin-off novels).
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 23 November, 2014, 09:09:06 PMA three-part story that hinges on whether or not a character will reveal the clones' secret programming to kill all the Jedi - REALLY REALLY?
I liked that one. It worked precisely because it was so appallingly tragic, having followed Fives (last survivor of Domino Squad and dullest of all the clones, which is saying something) from the second-ever episode, only to see him [spoiler]pin his whole life on a revelation that you knew he could never deliver was pretty powerful stuff. When the door closes on his private audience with Palpatine, [/spoiler]that was the kind of emotional engagement that the Prequels so sorely lacked.
But yeah, I don't know what was going on in terms of the story arcs they were covering with their last season, judging by those that were completed - there's at least one more available in animatic stage which is bizarrely set on Utapau (I'm beginning to wonder if the galaxy is indeed far, far away, and not just very, very small), but I haven't seen it yet, and I understand there are others in even less finished form.
I understand they started out with a 22-episode season order, so the episodes they did make once knocked down to a 13-episode bulk sale to an overseas cable company were what the producers considered the stories they simply had to tell. Says it all, really.
This Friday, apparently - http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/24/7274573/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens-teaser-trailer
Quote from: Spikes on 24 November, 2014, 05:45:24 PM
This Friday, apparently - http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/24/7274573/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens-teaser-trailer
I don't normally advocate illegal fillumng in cinemas but if any yanks can sneak a hd camera in and stik it on you tube asap would be much apprecited ;)
Quote from: Spikes on 24 November, 2014, 05:45:24 PM
This Friday, apparently - http://www.polygon.com/2014/11/24/7274573/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens-teaser-trailer
Yes, looks like the debunking has been debunked. 88 seconds, according to the official Bad Robot twitter account. Bound to be online shortly thereafter. Nothing is likely to match the thrill of dial-up downloading a postage-stamp sized indecipherable bootleg* of the fabulous Episode 1 teaser trailer at about this time of year in 1998, and then going to several awful films in the forlorn hope of seeing it on the big screen, but let's hope this one ends better.
*I still have the file on my computer.
Quote from: Grugz on 24 November, 2014, 06:32:46 PM
I don't normally advocate illegal fillumng in cinemas but if any yanks can sneak a hd camera in and stik it on you tube asap would be much apprecited ;)
I doubt Disney will wait until after crappy bootlegs are uploaded; they'll have it online after the first screening.
So, the teaser in just 30 cinemas (http://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-the-force-awakens-tease-theater-list), 2 in Canada and 28 in the contiguous USA. The rest of the Earth will presumably see it online by fair means or foul, and then not on the big screen until December. I'm not entirely sure what informs this sort of stunt (Joe?), but it doesn't feel like a very inclusive start to a new era.
Old school thinking that "people will want to see it in the cinema" possibly.
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 24 November, 2014, 11:23:23 PM
Old school thinking that "people will want to see it in the cinema" possibly.
Hopefully, but what about people in the
other 31 states, and, well, the rest of the world? I'm just pondering the aim of such a selective release, beyond assuming money changing hands.
Quote from: TordelBack on 24 November, 2014, 11:39:39 PM
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 24 November, 2014, 11:23:23 PM
Old school thinking that "people will want to see it in the cinema" possibly.
Hopefully, but what about people in the other 31 states, and, well, the rest of the world? I'm just pondering the aim of such a selective release, beyond assuming money changing hands.
Isn't it linked to Hero Number 6? This will boost its audience. Disney May have hit on a way to get cinemas pay to show ads.
I am hoping that the trailer will be released online as soon as the weekend showings are done with, I guess they won't announce a general release of the trailer until then as that cinema chain has probably paid Disney a ton of cash for the exclusive.
It will leak out of course and its an annoyance that the first most fans will see of it (because we cant help ourselves :)) will be a crappy shaky cam version shot vertically on an Iphone at 45 degrees to the screen.
Quote from: Rog69 on 25 November, 2014, 08:16:55 AM
I am hoping that the trailer will be released online as soon as the weekend showings are done with, I guess they won't announce a general release of the trailer until then as that cinema chain has probably paid Disney a ton of cash for the exclusive.
It will leak out of course and its an annoyance that the first most fans will see of it (because we cant help ourselves :)) will be a crappy shaky cam version shot vertically on an Iphone at 45 degrees to the screen.
They were never going to allow that be the first impression
- for 99% of the world - of their $4 billion investment.
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/SW_zps21c7b58b.jpg)
It's here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plwVRYEQG_I&sns=fb (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plwVRYEQG_I&sns=fb)
I genuinely feel like I'm ten years old, in the Odeon in Warrington with my Dad and Grandad watching that.
Can't wait.
Sorry, just read that it's a fake. My inner ten year old is massively confused. If that's a fake, then it's the movie I want to see. And it's a bloody good one. That MUST be the genuine article... mustn't it? Seems legit to me.
An obvious fake.
Don't know how anyone could be fooled by that.
They fooled me! Hell, I've done a gig and had four pints tonight, but still, I'm pretty stoked to see the real thing now!
Definitely fake, there was not enough lens flare!! ;)
Not just in the cinema! http://variety.com/2014/digital/news/star-wars-trailer-itunes-friday-1201365691/#
Quote from: DrRocka on 27 November, 2014, 01:08:34 AM
It's here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plwVRYEQG_I&sns=fb (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plwVRYEQG_I&sns=fb)
A clever fake, although I will admit a minor geek-gasm occurred regardless of that knowledge.
Makes me realise just
how much I want this to be good.
Quote from: amines2058 on 27 November, 2014, 07:07:23 AM
Definitely fake, there was not enough lens flare!! ;)
(http://www.geek-envy.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/tumblr_mdifdd0wkz1qg36bn1.jpg)
:lol:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1yoRL77kQs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1yoRL77kQs) :D
Quote from: TordelBack on 24 November, 2014, 08:34:49 PM
...Nothing is likely to match the thrill of dial-up downloading a postage-stamp sized indecipherable bootleg* of the fabulous Episode 1 teaser trailer at about this time of year in 1998, and then going to several awful films in the forlorn hope of seeing it on the big screen...
Stop me if you've heard this story before. Sixteen years ago - Christ almighty! - a fresh faced young Cosh made the decision to avoid at all costs any footage of the most exciting cinema event in history before the film was released. This quest involved some fairly silly behaviour but was more successful than the Likely Lads.
For a long time I ascribed my positive view of the film to this deliberate avoidance of foreknowledge. Today I still like it, but I can't decide which of us was the most mental.
Quote from: Rog69 on 25 November, 2014, 08:16:55 AM
It will leak out of course and its an annoyance that the first most fans will see of it (because we cant help ourselves :)) will be a crappy shaky cam version shot vertically on an Iphone at 45 degrees to the screen.
You need tighter boots.
Today we find out whether JJ Abrams is actually Santa Claus or just your Dad late in from the pub.
There is a good chance that the trailer will hit at around 3.15PM UK time based on a (now deleted) tweet from the president of Disney France.
Quote from: Rog69 on 28 November, 2014, 09:22:32 AM
based on a (now deleted) tweet from the president of Disney France.
I thought I felt a great disturbance in the the twitterspher, as if millions of geeks suddenly cried out in joy and were suddenly silenced.
Cheers
Jim
Out today, you say? Cool as der cucumber, me. No expectations, good or bad. Far too mature, burnt far too many times. Nope. Not in the least bit excited. Nosiree. Not me. More in my life than yet more Star Wars sequels. Far more. Do I look bothered? Not a bit of it. No, not me. Think I'll just go for a nice walk, and stop hitting refresh on my twitter feed.
Deep breaths there, Tordel dude. Z
Abrams is probably sitting at his computer, white cat on his lap, finger hovering over the release button, grinning evilly. He's asking himself, 'Do I send it now, or toy with my minions a while longer?'
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 November, 2014, 10:23:01 AMThink I'll just go for a nice walk, and stop hitting refresh on my twitter feed.
You know, you can send Twitter updates to your phone, but I don't think you'll be the first or only to do so today.
I think this will need to be a very safe and sensible rollout because the competition in the space opera game is now such that they might only get one chance with putting this over with people on the fence. The response to the Jurassic World trailer seems to suggest people are just as likely to dig into intractably hostile positions on warhorse franchises as they are to support the shameless nostalgia and brand name strip-mining of such things.
The Force is with American demographics.
The trailer will be released in America first to suit American fans, advertiser,TV and news programmes. Since we here in the UK and Ireland are 4 hrs ahead of the USA we've got to wait till this evening. Ho hum.
It's here - http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/lucasfilm/starwarstheforceawakens/ (http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/lucasfilm/starwarstheforceawakens/)
Quicktime needed :sick: so i'm waiting for it to pop up elsewhere in a format I don't need to install bloatware for.
Youtube link, probably unofficial and will not last - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_x8U7UdRA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob_x8U7UdRA)
ok .. now Im excited
Oh gosh. Yes indeed.
I literally had shivers watching that
Yep. I'm pleased with that. Looks beautiful.
That's Cumberbatch doing the V/O, isn't it?
And, yes, I actually gave a little laugh of delight when [spoiler]the Falcon appears[/spoiler].
Don't fuck this up, Abrams.
Cheers
Jim
Not much to go on, but some good, some bad there.
Pedestrian as some of Lucas' direction on the prequels was*, at least it was always visually uncluttered and not prone to shakycam, though I suppose we knew that was unavoidable with JJA - a man who famously admitted he only noticed that there were a lot of lens flares in his Trek movies only after he'd stopped making them, and his wife had to point it out to him.
On the other hand it has the Millennium Falcon going NNNNYEEEEUUUUUUUURRRRR so that's half the geekosphere now in need of a change of underpants.
* Say what you like about the concept of a laser-sword duel between Space Kermit and Space Dracula, but how on Earth do you make such a thing so dang boring?
Quote
And, yes, I actually gave a little laugh of delight when the[spoiler] Falcon appears.[/spoiler]
Yup - that had me, still has me,grinning fromear to ear.
Oh shit! That looks awesome! Nice to see we join stormtroopers into battle!
Very nice, sent a shiver down my spine.
Nice to see some restraint with the lens flare on the falcon scene, even though it would be justified there :)
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 28 November, 2014, 03:35:32 PM
Say what you like about the concept of a laser-sword duel between Space Kermit and Space Dracula, but how on Earth do you make such a thing so dang boring?
I just kept thinking of the white rabbit sequence from
Monty Python and the Holy Grail...
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Rog69 on 28 November, 2014, 03:41:14 PM
Very nice, sent a shiver down my spine.
Nice to see some restraint with the lens flare on the falcon scene, even though it would be justified there :)
I assumed the lens flare touch there was a deliberate nudge as there is lens flare in SW when the falcon does a similar manouver
Errr, is there more than one trailer? - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNzAocCE4yc&app=desktop (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNzAocCE4yc&app=desktop)
Cam from a cinema, poor quality but totally different to the on-line trailer.
EDIT- Fake apparently.
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 28 November, 2014, 03:35:32 PM
* Say what you like about the concept of a laser-sword duel between Space Kermit and Space Dracula, but how on Earth do you make such a thing so dang boring?
Well Bryan Singer managed to make a boring movie about a man who can fly and shoot frickin lasers out his eyes, so it's definitely manageable!
And x-wings over water! Awesome!
Sith sader! Awesome!
A story on one former stormtrooper! Awesome!
Falcon! Awesome!
TIE! Awesome!
Ball-Droid! Awesome!
I had been a tad indifferent about the prospect of more Star Wars films despite my fondness for the films, but that has now been removed after seeing the trailer. I'm now narked off that the film is a year from release.
very savvy
nothing here to be gained by freeze frame.
no sight of the 'old' cast to stop predictable headlines.
and enough to get the old faithful back 'x-wings' 'falcon'
LOVE IT
Wot Colin said. Theme tune now stuck in my head...
Helps that I loved John whatshisname in Attack the Block too
I thought it was pretty.
I like pretty things.
Looking very promising.
I like this. Everything is modernised up a bit. The stormtroopers, x-wings etc. The dude with the sabre tools a tough nut and the soaring, spiralling falcon clip looks the bees knees baby. Z
I love how the Falcon becomes more manoeuvrable in each film. In the first the moves Han knew was to move slightly to the left. Asteroid dodging in Empire, pinpoint accuracy within the Death Star in ROTJ, and finally g-force defying loop de loops in this trailer! 'Special modifications' eh?! Not bad for a Correllian cargo vessel!!
As soon as I saw that chunky speeder bike I thought "Colin MacNeil!"
Looks just like something he would design. Star Wars Insurrection anyone?
Mmmmmmm. Dunno. :-\
No shivers at the Falcon, or change of underpants needed here, im afraid.
tbh, It all kinda passed me by, and felt a wee bit like a non-event.
Still, time will tell...
loved it! the stormtroopers look excellent even down to the updated blasters ,looks like ties have had a slight modernise
only slight niggle is the cross guard on the sabre
excuse me now while I go and watch it a half dozen more times :D
Brilliant!
(http://i.imgur.com/MLXmXvO.jpg?1)
Very little to go on at the moment. That lightsabre looks silly though, too easy to impale yourself with it I would think.
The music still sends chills down my spine though.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 28 November, 2014, 05:40:32 PMNot bad for a Correllian cargo vessel!!
It is the ship that did the Kessel Run in 12 parsecs! Nothing more awesome ship that that!
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--efJo_gI2--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/o5y1jdzxasihjrlso9kd.gif)
Okay was avoiding getting interested or excited by this... BUT THAT WAS F*CKIN' GREAT!
Don't get hopes up, don't get hopes up...
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 November, 2014, 03:44:34 PM
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 28 November, 2014, 03:35:32 PM
Say what you like about the concept of a laser-sword duel between Space Kermit and Space Dracula, but how on Earth do you make such a thing so dang boring?
I just kept thinking of the white rabbit sequence from Monty Python and the Holy Grail...
And now it is double ruined. I hope your happy YOU MANKY SCOTCH GIT
I've believed the crosshilt on a lightsabre to be beyond stupid-looking since it first leaked, but both my kids instantly pronounced the 'cool lightsabre' to be the best bit of the trailer. So that's me told.
Teaser was fun, interesting in that it confirms much of what has been leaked to date, which makes me suspect that a goodly portion of those leaks were intentional. I was surprised we didn't see any new ships, and pleased that we didn't see any of the old characters: nice to be introduced to the new cast first. On balance there was less there than in the TPM teaser, and most of the images had already been spoiled, but what was there looked good.
Quote from: Goaty on 28 November, 2014, 06:44:07 PM
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--efJo_gI2--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/o5y1jdzxasihjrlso9kd.gif)
Oh dear. Lens flare.
Just to temper expectations a bit, keep in mind that Star Trek Into Darkness was bobbins, and while the first Star Trek reboot was decent, it also had serious script problems. Super 8 was also (imo) a bit pony. This has every chance that it'll be alright, but let's not get carried away.
Are people really still going on abut lens flare? Is it still 2009?
Get over it, it's a minor aesthetic quirk. The important thing here is the script and characters.
Quote from: radiator on 28 November, 2014, 08:10:46 PM
Get over it, it's a minor aesthetic quirk. The important thing here is the script and characters.
And as noted upthread, used in the original movie for the Falcon's big surprise reveal. I also suspect Abrams specifically included it in the trailer as a cheeky wink.
Quote from: von Boom on 28 November, 2014, 07:50:22 PM
Oh dear. Lens flare.
To be fair, flying into the sun....lens flare.....yeah, that's ok for me.
As for 'are people still going on about it', of course they are. It's more than a simple 'aesthetic' when it is heavily overused, in exactly the same way people still 'go on' about intrusive soundtracks, or shaky camera work, or bad make up, or piss poor effects, or any number of other elements that can ruin a film by being an irritating distraction.
Are people really still saying "are you still going on about that?" on the internet? What is this, 2006?
Quote from: Goaty on 28 November, 2014, 03:41:07 PM
Oh shit! That looks awesome! Nice to see we join stormtroopers into battle!
We get to see their blasts missing from their point of view now.....
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 28 November, 2014, 10:05:33 PM
Quote from: Goaty on 28 November, 2014, 03:41:07 PM
Oh shit! That looks awesome! Nice to see we join stormtroopers into battle!
We get to see their blasts missing from their point of view now.....
Well on teaser, we see TIE can't hit
the Falcon,
(http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lrs937NTcQ1r346l4o1_500.gif)
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 28 November, 2014, 03:35:32 PM
Pedestrian as some of Lucas' direction on the prequels was*, at least it was always visually uncluttered and not prone to shakycam
Lucas' battle sequences in the prequels were an orgy of clutter spliced with a scatter of CGI shots; maybe because it gave the impression of things going on in the generally flat staging. The habit of filling frames with 'stuff' Lucas seemed to develop after the special editions, whereas the shots in the new Abrams trailer look pleasantly sparse and measured by comparison but, yeah, the
Falcon shot
way over-does the spinny camera and feels like it belongs as part of a disorientating Disney ride with funky seats. Shaky-cam is not always the problem, when done well, but it's more the modern tendency to always cut to a new shot every 3-4 seconds out of some fear we'll get bored - Abrams has gone back and forth on this.
Even knowing it's a trailer, of a kind, coming
a full year before the film's release, it doesn't fully connect. It's some out-of-context shots that act more as a show-reel of whatever FX they managed to get done in the time but includes enough fan-nods to keep people quiet without being too sterile. Would've been nice if they'd thrown a sliver of a dialogue scene between the characters presented
- or a bit of humour - and not just a disembodied voice. Nothing to get too excited about, yet, but it does at least look directed and in real locations, and the lens-flare looks fine.
I love it. Gonna be a long year til I get to see it. I'll get to work in the morning finishing off the TARDIS I've been building and I'll take us all to see it.
Don't book any time off work yet, though. So far it's just a guitar slide spray painted blue with a can of cider gaffa taped to the side of it.
Hmmm, is one end of the gribbly pole attached to the side of Daisy Ridley's speeder in one shot (and not there in the next) made out of (something that resembles) Darth Maul's lightsabre? Also, check out those salvaged goggles!
(http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Star-Wars-7-Trailer-Photo-Tatooine-Speeder-Daisy-Ridley.jpg)
(http://www.starwarspropaganda.com/posted_images/efx%20maul%20saber/efxdms2.JPG)
I'm bloody excited by this trailer! A couple of "wow!" moments in there; the X wing attack formation over water, and that shot of the Sith 'blade', I wanna see a villain worthy of Vader and to a lesser extent, Darth Maul. Here's hoping we get one! Oh, and please, no lens flares, Mr Abrams! Early signs are good indeed. Can't wait to watch it! :D
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 28 November, 2014, 10:34:31 PM
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 28 November, 2014, 03:35:32 PM
Pedestrian as some of Lucas' direction on the prequels was*, at least it was always visually uncluttered and not prone to shakycam
Lucas' battle sequences in the prequels were an orgy of clutter spliced with a scatter of CGI shots; maybe because it gave the impression of things going on in the generally flat staging. The habit of filling frames with 'stuff' Lucas seemed to develop after the special editions
One of my most jarring things about the prequels was the huge disparity between the utterly flat way most of the film was shot and the ridiculously OTT fx shots with the camera whizzing about in a totally unrealistic fashion - for example the opening shot of Episode III.
I'm actually with Joe on the Falcon shot in this trailer - it's overly elaborate, and when they do this kind of shit it just reinforces the artificiality of what I'm looking at.
There's probably a lot of people seeing that .gif of the Falcon and really looking forward to whatever videogame it's from.
All I know from the internet thus far is that: if you felt anything even slightly neutral or negative about that trailer U R NOT A TRU STAR WARS FAN.
Looked flashy - looked fun - hope the story works - and I agree that this far in advance what we're seeing is some stuck-together effects shots to whet the appetite rather than a full representation of the tone or actual content of the finished film. Wouldn't be surprised *MARK MY WORDS* if some of those shots ain't even in the movie.
Also - look at this little chap:
(https://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oJ5Ub_g-dQe8j9zz2cRx966Uahs=/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/2499970/droid_ball.0.jpeg)
Lovely.
I wonder if that R2 unit was designed just to give toy manufacturers headaches.
Hopefully folk can see this - courtesy of colourist and writer Jean-Paul Bove I think and sums up this lightsaber design well...
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10731068_10152851729985729_7849600915899461724_n.jpg?oh=ed9e71c9eb72814372ec43e9382bb25b&oe=54D4719A)
I think that's something libelous in Ogham.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 29 November, 2014, 10:48:35 AM
courtesy of colourist and writer Jean-Paul Bove I think and sums up this lightsaber design well...
After some digging it's not by Bove it's an already hugely-shared picture (https://twitter.com/yetiboymcafee/status/538421594092494848) by Brian Altano of the Comedy Button
Quote from: Goaty on 28 November, 2014, 06:44:07 PM
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--efJo_gI2--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/o5y1jdzxasihjrlso9kd.gif)
Just noticed the Falcon has a new sensor dish to replace the one lost during the attack on the Death Star II.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 November, 2014, 03:32:43 PM
That's Cumberbatch doing the V/O, isn't it?
Apparently the voice is
Andy Serkis.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 29 November, 2014, 12:48:16 PM
Apparently the voice is Andy Serkis.
Listening to it again, I'm not convinced that it's the same voice all the way through — I think
"There has been an awakening..." is a different voice to
"The dark side..."Cheers
Jim
falcon stabilized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdEIuB3lm-I
Despite R2-Beckham this teaser has gotten me excited for the film. If Ned Stark had a light sabre, I wonder what it would look like...oh.
HQ pic of Falcon and TIEs
(http://i.imgur.com/NiPyBTy.jpg)
Another nice wallpaper here - http://i.imgur.com/PAZL2nc.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/PAZL2nc.jpg)
The wing assembly on the X Wings are different from the original trilogy. Love the plantation softwood forest in the Sith scene, reminds me of home during the winter. The perpendicular blades are pretty incongruous looking, thet would have been better off set at may be 30 or 35° from their current position. It would save on sith hands. Z
Read someone saying these were 'XJ' models from the New Jedi Order series? Not entirely sure what that means though! Still, it's been a few years, tech has advanced both for the empire's troopers and the New(?) New Republic, and that's cool.
I thought they were steering away from the whole expanded universe...happy to stand corrected. Z
No clue man, but I would expect them to be cherry picking certain elements where it suits. Guess we've a good while to find these things out! ;)
Why is everyone so concerned about the hilt sabers.i have no doubt who ever it is who's wielding it is absolutely awesome with it.Rumours online claiming Sith Lord is going to be familiar to anyone[spoiler]who's played knights of the old republic on the original Xbox.[/spoiler]
Apart from a couple comments on here from folk not keen on it, all I've read or heard from most are sounds like that made by 12 year old schoolgirls at a one direction concert, so I think the majority quite like it!
The 'light-claymore' would work fine if the emitters for the wee blades were set on a traditional crosshilt facing back towards and crossing the main blade at 30 or 45 degrees, thus serving the same blade-stopping purpose as their inspiration. But that would look even sillier. But like I say, the kids seem to like it, and lightsabres never made any sense anyway.
The pointier-nosed split-engine X-Wing is a McQuarrie concept design, and while the EU had later XJ and Stealth-X models of the T-65 nobody (IIRC) ever described them as having split engines in this style (didn't say they didn't either). It's the production seeking inspiration from the whole pile of Warsiana, just as Lucas did with the Prequels (e.g. the final design for the Neimoidans in TPM was plucked at the last minute from an image of the cantina-scene Duros in a making-of book for ANH).
(http://www.heyuguys.com/images/2014/07/Ralph-McQuarrie-X-Wing.jpg)
It is the incongruity of the crossguard I guess. Zenith 666 may be right, a force imbued sith lord could probably handle the sword with super human dexterity. The issue is functionality I suppose. The crossguard on a sword is meant to stop the progress of your opponents blade sliding down yours; this crossguard wouldnt do this as the base of the two short blades are 2 mini laser emitters which would be severed by the transit of another lightsaber. For by this they are set at a 90°angle to the main blade, leaving them too close to the wrist and accordingly would inhibit several basic fencing actions (as I posted before, better offset at a 30 or 35° angle). It seems to serve no useful purpose, other than presenting a rather intimidating vista, which I guess is a big part of a sith lords basic philosophy. Z
If lightsabers were real, users would have lethal injuries within the first 10 minutes of using one, without any opponent. The crossguards are no more an issue of safety or skill for such a dangerous fantasy weapon. It just looks good on screen.
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 29 November, 2014, 11:31:20 PM
Apart from a couple comments on here from folk not keen on it, all I've read or heard from most are sounds like that made by 12 year old schoolgirls at a one direction concert
You occupy a very strange and unknown section of the internet, then, because the one I've been using for the last 9 years or so is a place where people would shit over the second coming of our lord and savior Jesus Christ - some film for nerds made a guy whose greatest cinematic achievement to date was to take a series of nerdy films that were stupid to begin with and then make them even stupider doesn't have a snowball's chance on the internet I know to avoid criticism.
This is how it should really play out and you know it LEGO TRAILER (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BKHhP8sUR8)
There are a few LEGO versions out there, if you want to look at a few others!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 November, 2014, 12:47:06 AM
If lightsabers were real, users would have lethal injuries within the first 10 minutes of using one, without any opponent.
Indeed. A school of thought exists that the (fannish ex post facto) reason that they are the 'weapon of a Jedi Knight' is because you need that magical precognition/awareness thing to safely swing one at all. Having a weapon that is as dangerous to its user as its opponent means merely switching it on is a serious commitment, suitable for a 'guardian of peace and justice' - certainly not something to be done randomly or clumsily.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 30 November, 2014, 12:47:06 AM
If lightsabers were real, users would have lethal injuries within the first 10 minutes of using one, without any opponent. The crossguards are no more an issue of safety or skill for such a dangerous fantasy weapon. It just looks good on screen.
Nail on head
Star Wars is not real
There are no such thing as Patois speaking Gungans
Using the above logic..lightsaber broadswords are acceptable
Cast your mind back to 1977
Would we..as little kids..question the practicalities of a lightsaber that looked cool as f*ck?
Sometimes people lose sight of the fact that This franchise is essentially a series of films for children
everything else is just nostalgia
Quote from: Beeks on 30 November, 2014, 07:21:47 AM
Star Wars is not real
It's at least as real as Santa or money.
Of course Beeks and the other posters are right, it is all make believe and we are aware of the need for a localised suspension of disbelief when we watch these things. Its just that I like a comfortable suspension of disbelief: that is things that look as though they work in the context in which they are set. Z
Quote from: Beeks on 30 November, 2014, 07:21:47 AM
Sometimes people lose sight of the fact that This franchise is essentially a series of films for children
One of the most prominent people to lose sight of that was Mr Lucas - KIDS LOVE TRADE AGREEMENTS AND HAMMY ROMANCE.
As a non-obsessive fan I hope this goes back to being a swashbuckling simplistic adventure in the vein of 30s serials whose largest plot decisions are made with merchandising in mind. (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105279-Han-Should-Have-Died-in-Return-of-the-Jedi-Says-Harrison-Ford)
CFM, this is of course what we all want. Lucas et al lost sight of what the true attraction of these movies was in making the sequels. The Simpsons episode with the AT AT sitting with an accountancy calculator summed this up perfectly.
I loved the believability of the universe. Everything had the patina of use, functionality and looked as though it worked and I suppose I'm keen to see this translated through in the new movies. Z
It seems like a timely point in the discussion to post the George Lucas version of the episode 7 trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng)
Quote from: Rog69 on 30 November, 2014, 10:32:11 AM
It seems like a timely point in the discussion to post the George Lucas version of the episode 7 trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng)
Hahaha very good
Rog, that is a apt a clip as ever you could put up. Z :lol:
(http://0.media.dorkly.cvcdn.com/80/85/28052e733ba2533a2a237f351d5e5199.gif)
Sabre-reactions (http://www.dorkly.com/post/70914/the-best-internet-reactions-to-star-wars-newest-lightsaber?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=amplification).
Quote from: Rog69 on 30 November, 2014, 10:32:11 AM
It seems like a timely point in the discussion to post the George Lucas version of the episode 7 trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v93Jh6JNBng)
:lol:
And on it goes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cwe90O7tktM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cwe90O7tktM)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 30 November, 2014, 09:36:25 AM
One of the most prominent people to lose sight of that was Mr Lucas - KIDS LOVE TRADE AGREEMENTS AND HAMMY ROMANCE.
He was also the master of racist stereotypes inadequately disguised as aliens. Lucas's lack of involvement in Episode VII is the most promising thing about it.
That looked alright, I thought. New lightsaber was silly, but I can understand the desire to try and repeat the awesome reveal of Darth Maul's double-ender. X-Wings coming in over the water was cool and thus brought balance to the force.
(http://v.cdn.cad-comic.com/comics/cad-20141201-a3220.png)
Instead of a sword shaped like a 'Jesus Cross' I would've preferred to see something like a set of Lightsabre 'Nunchaku'! Could've made for some interesting battles, and would be a nice variation on the format.
Cheers
Quote from: The Cosh on 30 November, 2014, 11:34:37 PM
X-Wings coming in over the water was cool
Indeed, more o that please!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 29 November, 2014, 12:48:16 PM
Apparently the voice is Andy Serkis.
You're absolutely right. (http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-force-awakens/33188/andy-serkis-officially-confirmed-as-voice-in-the-force-awakens-trailer)
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: NapalmKev on 01 December, 2014, 10:51:17 AM
Instead of a sword shaped like a 'Jesus Cross' I would've preferred to see something like a set of Lightsabre 'Nunchaku'!
I imagine this isn't the last new design we'll be seeing. One of the mistakes of the Prequels was the narrow way it viewed the whole Jedi thing, from everyone's uniform looking suspiciously like a Tatooine desert hermit, to vanilla lightsabres - look at how much fun the only two variations were (Maul's double-penetrator [already done in Tom Veitch's comics] and Windu's shiny purpler). Hopefully Abrams has popped in to Ann Summers for inspiration.
That's what only having sex or Star Wars on the brain does to you.
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 December, 2014, 04:13:34 PM
I imagine this isn't the last new design we'll be seeing. One of the mistakes of the Prequels was the narrow way it viewed the whole Jedi thing, from everyone's uniform looking suspiciously like a Tatooine desert hermit, to vanilla lightsabres - look at how much fun the only two variations were (Maul's double-penetrator [already done in Tom Veitch's comics] and Windu's shiny purpler). Hopefully Abrams has popped in to Ann Summers for inspiration.
Christopher Lee had a bendy one too didnt he?
Quote from: James Stacey on 01 December, 2014, 04:27:00 PM
Christopher Lee had a bendy one too didnt he?
Originally he had two, but they cut one in post.
Quote from: Allah Akbark on 01 December, 2014, 04:24:57 PM
That's what only having sex or Star Wars on the brain does to you.
Passes the time. Damn ever-lengthening refractory period.
My favourite is still Luke's green one from Return of the Jedi. I think this new one looks pretty cool though - certainly better than Maul's double ender.
Luke's RotJ lighstaber is a reused prop of Obi-Wan Kenobi's saber from the first film. I far prefer the sleeker, bevelled design of Anakin's/Vader's, to be honest, and it's somewhat annoying to me that them using it for Luke's saber makes the Emperor's line "...a Jedi's weapon, much like your father's" true only in the loosest sense (i.e. it's a lightsaber).
For me the lightsaber/broadsword was the only real bum note in the teaser. It just looks a bit dumb to me, like something I'd expect to see in the prequels or a naff spin-off comic book. Other than that I thought the actual shot of the hooded figure, the environment and his pose looked pretty awesome.
Interesting observation from (I think) Red Letter Media was that despite the teaser being a mishmash of largely unconnected imagery, we've most likely just been introduced to the three key figures of this new trilogy - John Boyega's (former?) stormtrooper character (Luke Skywalker), Oscar Isaac's X-Wing pilot (Han Solo), and Daisy Ridley's engineer looking character (Princess Leia).
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--MBmQOsQP--/c_fit,fl_progressive,q_80,w_636/t9krc4yurt8aenrzmg0v.jpg)
Sure, but that's never happened in 6 movies*, even without any kind of guard. What has happened is sabre-to-sabre wrasslin', and in that situation having something to stab your opponent as you push and shove or encourage them to break first with might be handy.
*well, sort of in RotS
I dunno. As far as I recall, at least one person per movie loses part of their arm to a lightsabre. It seems sensible that a lightsabre user would take measures to mitigate that.
Fan-art posters just out, and they're bloody good!
(https://scontent-a-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/10690198_10152841569177708_2656820446733548289_n.jpg?oh=fca93bc462cbdc2bc569ba9614b7e0e3&oe=551904BA)
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/10675570_10152841569187708_1435987123343475171_n.jpg?oh=469b99987411d9640b77116ed5da6ee3&oe=54FEDB1B)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/1510544_10152841569192708_7825938205846621374_n.jpg?oh=35add456e83c8f5ddab4c372ea175d60&oe=5513B5F3&__gda__=1427538841_97cc45caec68b560d24c771ce5fc2506)
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10433113_10152841569182708_6459578515458667392_n.jpg?oh=db904f7b03e5a439b3b6c7e6ec4dc18a&oe=551D49AE)
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 December, 2014, 07:19:48 PM
Sure, but that's never happened in 6 movies*, even without any kind of guard. What has happened is sabre-to-sabre wrasslin', and in that situation having something to stab your opponent as you push and shove or encourage them to break first with might be handy.
*well, sort of in RotS
i thought the chances of cutting yerself would be greatly increased, but what do I know...
Quote from: Proudhuff on 02 December, 2014, 11:04:56 AM
Quote from: TordelBack on 01 December, 2014, 07:19:48 PM
Sure, but that's never happened in 6 movies*, even without any kind of guard. What has happened is sabre-to-sabre wrasslin', and in that situation having something to stab your opponent as you push and shove or encourage them to break first with might be handy.
*well, sort of in RotS
i thought the chances of cutting yerself would be greatly increased, but what do I know...
Having used broadswords and the like for years lrping I don't remember ever bashing myself with the crosspiece, any more than I've stabbed myself with the blade. It's just something you are aware of, and I'm just an untrained shmuck not a jedi
Quote from: James Stacey on 02 December, 2014, 11:12:18 AM
Having used broadswords and the like for years...
Reasons I love this place #23.
Stephen Colbert defends the new lightsabre, well:
http://io9.com/stephen-colberts-defense-of-the-new-lightsaber-is-delig-1665665109 (http://io9.com/stephen-colberts-defense-of-the-new-lightsaber-is-delig-1665665109)
Anyone notice "staff lightsaber"?
(http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/Star-Wars-7-Trailer-Photo-Tatooine-Speeder-Daisy-Ridley.jpg)
Quote from: Goaty on 02 December, 2014, 09:34:54 PM
Anyone notice "staff lightsaber"?
That'd be Tordelback:
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 November, 2014, 10:41:13 PM
Hmmm, is one end of the gribbly pole attached to the side of Daisy Ridley's speeder in one shot (and not there in the next) made out of (something that resembles) Darth Maul's lightsabre?
http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php/topic,37350.750.html
I find the message in place of the video we British folk get on that Stephen Colbert's website amusing. Even though I'm one of the people being mocked.
Quote from: Mardroid on 02 December, 2014, 09:53:50 PM
I find the message in place of the video we British folk get on that Stephen Colbert's website amusing. Even though I'm one of the people being mocked.
Google "Hola Unblocker" if you want to get around that crap, its a free VPN service that you can use via their website or with a handy browser plugin that lets you set which country you want to appear to be browsing from.
Thanks, I'll look into that.
http://www.starwarsunderworld.com/2014/12/breaking-force-awakens-character-names.html
characters in teaser named ! teletubby piloting x-wing!!
That gave me a huge twinge of nostalgia, I could almost smell the strip of pink bubble gum with the cards.
indeed! I also miss free gifts on the prog hows about a strip of hubba bubba for old times sake tharg?
I love that this film is going to be released in time for Xmas next year. The festive season finally has some meaning again!!!
Finn, eh? A young man drafted into a universal army and sent to far away desert territory as uniformed enforcer, becomes enlightened hero fighting on the side of the natural force of the univese against secretive evil alien overlords? Get yer lawyers thawed out, Tharg!
;)
Quote from: Goaty on 02 December, 2014, 10:27:19 AM
(https://scontent-b-lhr.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/10433113_10152841569182708_6459578515458667392_n.jpg?oh=db904f7b03e5a439b3b6c7e6ec4dc18a&oe=551D49AE)
I doubt the practability of the design with small cross guards that are just light the sabre as well.
How about a
Light-Trident(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQbCXkM1lL5IaAD0CYegPldJK_gtfU1lEtVJNtNtp2cF-SfTJR6)
http://comicbook.com/blog/2014/08/16/exclusive-original-unaltered-cut-of-star-wars-trilogy-to-be-rele/
Please be true!
*Crosses fingers*
I still have the original, unprocessed versions on DVD, blu-ray would be nice though.
B-Roll footage from 1976:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTuHBOi2BU0
Who knew Toshi Station sits right beside a massive ocean?
Finally watched the trailer, not a lot to go on but looked nice:-)
Leaked Lightsaber Scene
http://youtu.be/W2kHXf7mSD8 (http://youtu.be/W2kHXf7mSD8)
Quote from: Goaty on 22 December, 2014, 03:27:19 PM
Leaked Lightsaber Scene
http://youtu.be/W2kHXf7mSD8 (http://youtu.be/W2kHXf7mSD8)
:lol:!
hope these are legit have a fondness for the black series
http://thefwoosh.com/2014/12/star-wars-episode-vii-possible-black-series-prototypes-revealed
Look good to me. Nice to see Finn in civies and Chewie with all his limbs intact. 8B8 is pretty titchy!
looking legit as Hasbro asked "making star wars" to take the pic down. like the resculpt of chewie and the sith guy on the left but we neeeeeed stormtroopers!
Phew! Glad there are going to be action figures made...
was worried for a second they'd forgotten the main point of the franchise!!
:o CYNICAL MODE
Ooh same Millennium Falcon! Close up of it with Disney's CEO
(https://fortunedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/dis01_22.jpg?w=840&h=485&crop=1)
This picture does not excite me.
A businessman photoshopped into a production picture?
They could've at least pasted in a proper ceiling.
read something today with a bloke claiming to know someone...as you do ...who says the triple bladed sabre is actually a sabre gun and those "cross guards" are actually a high speed blaster ::)
mind you cynicism aside doesn't ezra's sabre do something similar in rebels?
Quote from: Grugz on 30 December, 2014, 09:32:24 PM
mind you cynicism aside doesn't ezra's sabre do something similar in rebels?
The toy certainly does that, but we haven't seen Ezra with a sabre yet in the cartoon. I imagine it will be the same deal.
Quote from: TordelBack on 30 December, 2014, 09:57:45 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 30 December, 2014, 09:32:24 PM
mind you cynicism aside doesn't ezra's sabre do something similar in rebels?
The toy certainly does that, but we haven't seen Ezra with a sabre yet in the cartoon. I imagine it will be the same deal.
Those paybacks keep racking up.
(http://ulysse31.saitis.net/ulysse_epee_laser_reduite.jpg)
(http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/ff248/burlearth/SLINGSHOT2_zpsa995ad32.jpg)
ezra has a laser catapult as well...think someone at lucasdisney likes Ulysses 31?
Latest Rebels episode 'Idiot's Array' is a joy to behold, being built around a younger [spoiler]Lando Calrissian[/spoiler] and a real treat he is too. The whole thing feels like a really good West End Games RPG adventure, which is what it should be.
Hats off to Disney, they've shelled out for James Earl Jones, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels and now [spoiler]Billy Dee[/spoiler] on this cartoon - it's like the best SW convention ever! Anyway, it's the latter addition that really shines, indeed his terrific voice performance makes the rest of the cast sound rather shrill, and if he didn't provide such an entertaining catalyst for their interactions I'd say that was a bad idea. By now it's obvious that the role of the cartoon is to introduce the world of the OT to the Clone Wars generation, for whom Clone Commander Wolffe is a more important character than Han Solo (if my kids are anything to go by), so this reliance on guest spots and familiar designs isn't the dull drag I thought it might be - as long as it keeps producing quality entertainment like this.
Dammit, the more I hear of Rebels the more I want to see it!! Am I right in saying it is only airing on Disney XD at the moment?
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 13 January, 2015, 11:17:30 AM
Dammit, the more I hear of Rebels the more I want to see it!! Am I right in saying it is only airing on Disney XD at the moment?
I believe that this is officially the case, yes.
Disney Abandoned George Lucas' Ideas for the 'Star Wars' Sequels (http://www.slashfilm.com/disney-abandoned-george-lucas-star-wars-7/)
Quote from: TordelBack on 13 January, 2015, 11:22:00 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 13 January, 2015, 11:17:30 AM
Dammit, the more I hear of Rebels the more I want to see it!! Am I right in saying it is only airing on Disney XD at the moment?
I believe that this is officially the case, yes.
You can buy the Intro double episode/mini movie for about £5 in Co-op!
My two 7 year olds and 5 year old love it.
(Although not as much as this 40 year old I fear.)
QuoteApparently, Lucas and Arndt wanted Episode VII to focus more on the younger characters, while Abrams wanted the younger generation to be secondary to the old guard like Luke, Han and Leia.
If this is true, Lucas and Arndt were right. The teaser trailer gets played quite a bit round here (the wife has taken to using the music to get my attention when I'm deep in Pixel Dungeon*), and on the basis of those snippets I often find myself looking forward to the movie quite a bit. Then I remember that we have to wade through the reanimated corpses of the old cast to get to all the fresh newness, and my heart sinks like a dianoga when the walls start moving.
*a sad reflection on the state of the modern marriage.
Encouraging news. The only way this film will be any good is if it totally, 100% ignores all of Lucas' ideas.
I am not sure precisely when George Lucas lost his touch, but it was a very long time ago (Last Crusade was good, but after that? aaargggghhhhh).
I like the old cast, and think it would have been criminal not to give them major roles. I also hope they don't all get killed off or retired in this movie.
I don't think Lucas's ideas are the issue. Generally speaking his ideas are good. (A couple of major exception besides. *cough* Rubbish cause of Amidala's death. *Cough*.
The main issue with Lucas is the implementation of those ideas.
That being said I'm glad the old characters will be centre stage in the new film rather than just facilitators for the new cast. But focussing on the new cast is still a good idea, but the balance should be equal in the first of the new trilogy, I think.
I got feelings that Oscar Isaac is [spoiler]The Empire's Undercover agent[/spoiler]...?
Quote from: Mardroid on 20 January, 2015, 09:04:17 PM
I don't think Lucas's ideas are the issue. Generally speaking his ideas are good. (A couple of major exception besides. *cough* Rubbish cause of Amidala's death. *Cough*.
Whoops! I meant to hit the spoiler button not the lined out text.
Never mind, I'd imagine most people here have seen it.
Interesting, some spoiler about Max Von Sydow
http://www.movieweb.com/star-wars-7-force-awakens-art-sydow-stormtroopers (http://www.movieweb.com/star-wars-7-force-awakens-art-sydow-stormtroopers)
QuoteEncouraging news. The only way this film will be any good is if it totally, 100% ignores all of Lucas' ideas.
On the contrary, reports suggest that Lucas wanted EpVII to focus on a new generation of characters and limit the old guard like Han Solo to cameos, which to me sounds like a very
good idea. Apparently that's why Michael Arndt's original script was jettisoned and Abrams and Kasdan brought in to rewrite it and give Han, Luke and Leia bigger roles.
As far as I'm concerned the biggest potential problem for this film is that it will turn into one big nostalgia-fest, full of distracting echoes of and references to the original films at the expense of doing something that feels fresh - just look at Abram's Star Trek Into Darkness...
Anyway, I was listening to Simon Pegg on Scroobius Pip's podcast recently, and he had an interesting angle on it having visited the set, suggesting that what he saw was very refreshing from a production point of view, and that TFA would usher in a new era of practical effects, animatronics etc, and that it would really showcase modern advances in these fields that haven't really been used before, since digital effects became so prevalent. All sounds very encouraging. Sure it will have a lot of great cg too, but I'm looking forward to a return to more tactile, grounded blockbuster aesthetic - personally I'm really bored of action set-pieces that just look like pixels flying round the screen.
Here's a link to the interview (2000 AD gets a mention too as you'd imagine): http://podbay.fm/show/929136539/e/1419379200?autostart=1 (http://podbay.fm/show/929136539/e/1419379200?autostart=1)
Quote from: radiator on 24 January, 2015, 07:51:16 PM
On the contrary, reports suggest that Lucas wanted EpVII to focus on a new generation of characters and limit the old guard like Han Solo to cameos, which to me sounds like a very good idea.
Even if I agreed with you about the old guard, Lucas's ideas for new characters were likely to have been atrocious. To be fair, his handling of old characters would also very likely have been atrocious. My evidence for this is all the Star Wars prequels and Indy IV.
QuoteAs far as I'm concerned the biggest potential problem for this film is that it will turn into one big nostalgia-fest, full of distracting echoes of and references to the original films at the expense of doing something that feels fresh - just look at Abram's Star Trek Into Darkness...
I liked Into Darkness, but even it's very harshest critics would struggle to argue it was worse than all the Star Wars prequels and Indy IV combined.
You're dead right about computer special effects though!
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 24 January, 2015, 08:09:13 PM
Quote from: radiator on 24 January, 2015, 07:51:16 PM
On the contrary, reports suggest that Lucas wanted EpVII to focus on a new generation of characters and limit the old guard like Han Solo to cameos, which to me sounds like a very good idea.
Even if I agreed with you about the old guard, Lucas's ideas for new characters were likely to have been atrocious. To be fair, his handling of old characters would also very likely have been atrocious. My evidence for this is all the Star Wars prequels and Indy IV.
Lucas' original
sequel idea -
like the prequels - sounds like it was still treading the same path as
Abrams' but just once-removed from the original 3 films. A proper divergence would be to get away from the Skywalker story competely or have it play out in the background.
David Fincher, when asked why he declined the offer from
Kathleen Kennedy to direct Episode VII before Abrams, got an oddly bewildered reaction from hardcore fans when he mentioned the thing that interested him about Star Wars was he
...thought of Star Wars as the story of two slaves [C-3PO and R2-D2] who go from owner to owner, witnessing their masters' folly. It's not hard to see what he was getting at and how both the prequels and sequels could've been approached instead of the
Dunesque familial legacy thing that seems to have been grafted on.
Lucas has been talking, and some of it is even interesting!
QuoteLucas also let the audience in on the secret to his enormous wealth: "All the money is in the action figures," he said.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/george-lucas-says-movies-are-too-much-circus-no-substance-1201419058/#
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 30 January, 2015, 09:51:58 AM
Lucas has been talking, and some of it is even interesting!
QuoteLucas also let the audience in on the secret to his enormous wealth: "All the money is in the action figures," he said.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/george-lucas-says-movies-are-too-much-circus-no-substance-1201419058/#
Spoken like a true retired guy. One of those who has more than enough money and doesn't give a stuff anymore.
RUMOUR and a massively spoilerific one if true [spoiler]mr han solo dies ,not at luke's hand as some had said but at the kylo ren sith guy sacrificing himself to let the others escape [/spoiler] which if true makes sense and I'm actually ok with.
oh, and rebels is back on tomorrow! :D
Awww, sod that, can they not just blow up Endor and Naboo instead. Z
well there are rumours about both sides having superweapons maybe one will be based on naboo and one on endor then you'll hopefully get your wish...
having said that after the gungans the ewoks ain't all bad!
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 30 January, 2015, 09:51:58 AM
Lucas has been talking, and some of it is even interesting!
QuoteLucas also let the audience in on the secret to his enormous wealth: "All the money is in the action figures," he said.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/george-lucas-says-movies-are-too-much-circus-no-substance-1201419058/#
You'll forgive me if I don't take seriously the views of the guy who thought episodes 1-3 were worth releasing.
Quote from: Famous Mortimer on 21 February, 2015, 08:18:31 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 30 January, 2015, 09:51:58 AM
Lucas has been talking, and some of it is even interesting!
QuoteLucas also let the audience in on the secret to his enormous wealth: "All the money is in the action figures," he said.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/george-lucas-says-movies-are-too-much-circus-no-substance-1201419058/#
You'll forgive me if I don't take seriously the views of the guy who thought episodes 1-3 were worth releasing.
Episodes 1-3 were worth releasing. It's just a shame that George Lucas was involved.
Cheers
Quote from: NapalmKev on 21 February, 2015, 08:35:01 AM
Quote from: Famous Mortimer on 21 February, 2015, 08:18:31 AM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 30 January, 2015, 09:51:58 AM
Lucas has been talking, and some of it is even interesting!
QuoteLucas also let the audience in on the secret to his enormous wealth: "All the money is in the action figures," he said.
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/george-lucas-says-movies-are-too-much-circus-no-substance-1201419058/#
You'll forgive me if I don't take seriously the views of the guy who thought episodes 1-3 were worth releasing.
Episodes 1-3 were worth releasing. It's just a shame that George Lucas was involved.
Cheers
That's kind of the point of what I said. I was referring to the actual three films that were released, not the concept of potential episodes 1-3.
Last night I watched Episode VII in its entirety. It was terrible, especially Han's laughable death scene (I actually laughed), although I was pleased to see that they'd somehow kept the 20thC Fox fanfare. I woke up feeling relieved that I had got through it, that the waiting was over. -sigh-
Quote from: ZenArcade on 20 February, 2015, 09:17:43 PM
Awww, sod that, can they not just blow up Endor and Naboo instead. Z
Don't worry, every Ewok on Endor would have been exterminated (http://www.theforce.net/swtc/holocaust.html) by radiation poisoning and the mother of all nuclear winters.
I'm not a happy chappie if the Han rumour is true.....couldnt we have just left him out of the film altogether? Please don't put him in there just as someone to kill. I just wanted to see luke in episode 7 (technically you can't kill him! ), couldn't the solos have been left with a "happily ever after" ? :-(
That there is my entire problem with this movie, before I know another thing about it. The old gang earned their happy ending, leave them to it, and tell a new story. I'd love to see a film about those guys in the trailer, for example. But it's not to be, because recognisable characters = reliable box office.
At least now Jim Kirk won't be the only legendary space hero who goes out like a bitch, but you do have to wonder what JJA's fixation is with low-hanging fruit.
For me it just taints what came before. I don't want to be sitting watching the empire strikes back a year from now, watching my childhood hero (who am i kidding, i haven't grown out of it at 42) and be thinking "Oh well, he gets cut in half later". It'll spoil it. Kingdom of the crystal skull may not be great, but it didn't spoil raiders.
Life can be crappy enough sometimes, leave me Han solo at least!
Sigh, and I have to read this rumour the same week as I finally had the joy of getting my lego millenium falcon. Why life, why?!
Quote from: SIP on 23 February, 2015, 01:58:56 PM
Sigh, and I have to read this rumour the same week as I finally had the joy of getting my lego millenium falcon. Why life, why?!
I wouldn't pay too much attention to specific rumours, Si. Bigger problem is the basic concept of Ep VII, which by involving the old gang requires that they be moved off stage. Han is the obvious target for fridging, and always was - his time to go was at the end of RotJ, but happily he dodged that one and got his princess. Luke can be easily plot-neutered by some Force mumbo jumbo, Leia can be relegated to the big desk, but who is Han if he isn't saving the day?
I agree that it would be in character. For me, the original cast inclusion for the new films would have been just luke ( maybe r2d2 along with him). Leave the solos off elsewhere happy in their retirement.......Just leave them on the other side of the galaxy, unmentioned.
I don't mind if luke goes down in a blaze of glory as he just becomes a force ghost. It's a happy medium without upsetting the middle aged men.
I hope the rumour is without foundation. I'm an eternal star wars apologist, but this one has slightly irked me.
don't forget Ford thought han should have died in empire ,perhaps he agreed to be in this one on the condition...
I think it was in jedi that he wanted to die. I'm glad he didn't get his wish then. Did we really need to persuade him into star wars 7 though, wouldn't luke have been enough of a continuity device if that's what they were trying to achieve? Personally, I didn't want to see "old" Han anyway......leave him back in 1983.
Sigh, anyway......Lando appeared in rebels the other week, that was cool. :-)
Quote from: SIP on 23 February, 2015, 03:22:38 PM
Sigh, anyway......Lando appeared in rebels the other week, that was cool. :-)
It really was! I completely agree with your other points too, BTW. Luke (possibly in ghost form) and the droids were all that was required. But that would have happened only if Disney had confidence in their expensive new product, instead of the even more expensive nostalgia bait they bought from George
I would hate it if Han gets killed in Star Wars VII, but they do have to find something cool for him to do.
Star Wars Rebels is pretty good. It feels much more like proper Star Wars than anything Lucasfilm did in the nineties or noughties and makes me quietly hopeful the Force Awakens won't by Crystal Skulls Part 2.
Quote from: SIP on 23 February, 2015, 03:22:38 PM
Sigh, anyway......Lando appeared in rebels the other week, that was cool. :-)
In a kind of 'a fellow with the voice of a 77-year-old flirts with a teen' way.... I found it a bit awkward. Rebels generally is predictable but passable. I find I enjoy the continuity cake more than I follow the narrative. Which is probably why I'm more of a Trekker than a Warser :-\
But the character wasn't 77.......if we are talking voice actor ages he was actually flirting with a 32 year old!
I'm really enjoying rebels, good honest Star Wars fun. Kids enjoying it too. I'm sorry to see the imminent end of series 1.
Sorry it's old news, but as saw it on twitter tonight, so funny!
Hitler Reacts to Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMPdKNqtFg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyMPdKNqtFg)
You would love that part what he said to make many other people leave the room!
And one little problem about it, is [spoiler]they are Stormtroopers, not Clone Troopers! [/spoiler]
I could not imagine forcing myself to sit through another one of those Hitler videos.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 24 February, 2015, 07:18:08 PM
Quote from: SIP on 23 February, 2015, 03:22:38 PM
Sigh, anyway......Lando appeared in rebels the other week, that was cool. :-)
In a kind of 'a fellow with the voice of a 77-year-old flirts with a teen' way.... I found it a bit awkward.
Rebels is set years before Star Wars, so Lando is younger and even more of a stone cold pimp than before he settled down to run a business - and put the moves on the 19/20 year-old Leia - in
Empire.
I think that Mr P's point is that Young Lando SOUNDS like an old man, which Billy Dee is at this point. The aural dissonance is more than made up for by the fact that his voice performance is fantastic, leaving the rest of the cast choking in his cologne. When 78 years old you are, sound this good you will not, hrmm?
I don't notice such things as many of US animation's most notable VO artists are north of 50 - Freddie in the Scooby Doo cartoons has been the same guy since 1969, for instance - and suspect that mental baggage may be more to blame for being distracted by Lando's tones.
No matter how many people hate, or profess to hate, the prequels, it's funny how they have completely defined the aesthetics of Star Wars for the last 16 years.
Everything with a Star Wars badge on it, from videogames to cartoons like Rebels, just look exactly like the prequels to me - all overdesigned characters waving lightsabers while spinning, twirling and somersaulting around in an apparently weightless environment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but there was hardly any of that sort of thing in the originals - the only part that has anything resembling it would be Luke's escape aboard Jabba the Hutt's sail barge ship.
It's going to be very interesting to see how much that very prequel-y aesthetic informs the new movies.
I think rebels had been put together with more of an eye on the original trilogy. Lightsaber balls have been kept to a minimum and a significant portion of vehicle and character designs are either heavily influenced by or are direct lifts of the original trilogy Ralph mcquarrie concept art.
"Balls" should read "battles" (though some may disagree!)
"He's worth a lot to me..."
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/25/rare-star-wars-figures-sale-boba-fett-han-solo
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 25 February, 2015, 09:21:32 AM
"He's worth a lot to me..."
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/feb/25/rare-star-wars-figures-sale-boba-fett-han-solo
"A Han Solo figure in Bespin outfit from The Empire Strikes Back film fetched £2,000."
Surely it's a Hoth outfit if the picture is anything to go by?
No-one was picking up mint unpunched card back Palitoy Boba Fetts for 'a couple of pounds' in the '90s. It's a good point in the market at which to sell and fair play to him, but it was still most likely a pricey investment buy at the time.
I would have to agree with that. I was picking up mint loose figures at that point and they weren't exactly "cheap", can't imagine he picked those up for pennies.
I was gobsmacked when I read that! I have the same Darth Vader, Ben Kenobi and R2D2 on card backs from the original 12 backs from Ep4 as well as a Wicket from ROTJ.
Quote from: SIP on 25 February, 2015, 06:14:00 AM
I think rebels had been put together with more of an eye on the original trilogy. Lightsaber balls have been kept to a minimum and a significant portion of vehicle and character designs are either heavily influenced by or are direct lifts of the original trilogy Ralph mcquarrie concept art.
Yeah, Rebels doesn't look anything like the prequels (thankfully) and is definitely the closest animation to the original trilogy by about a million miles (although Droids was fun, back in the day).
I had that Han Solo figure, I was always disappointed that I got that bought for me rather than the regular Han figure. I think an expedition into my Mum's loft is in order to see if I can find it.
Wasn't the Boba Fett figure originally only available by saving up so many backing cards from other figures and mailing them in or am I getting mixed up with something else?
Quote from: Rog69 on 25 February, 2015, 08:32:45 PM
I had that Han Solo figure, I was always disappointed that I got that bought for me rather than the regular Han figure. I think an expedition into my Mum's loft is in order to see if I can find it.
Wasn't the Boba Fett figure originally only available by saving up so many backing cards from other figures and mailing them in or am I getting mixed up with something else?
Dengar. I think it was Weetabix tokens you had to save up!
I think Boba Fett was originally only available by cutting out the name tabs from a certain number of backing cards of other figures, then sending them all off with a postal order.
I remember doing the same for Nien Nunb and waiting for what seemed like 10 million years for him to arrive.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 26 February, 2015, 08:09:04 AM
I think Boba Fett was originally only available by cutting out the name tabs from a certain number of backing cards of other figures, then sending them all off with a postal order.
That's right! I
knew I sent off for the bugger, but I couldn't find any details of the offer online. It's been bugging me for
ages.Cheers
Jim
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 25 February, 2015, 08:33:44 PM
Quote from: Rog69 on 25 February, 2015, 08:32:45 PM
I had that Han Solo figure, I was always disappointed that I got that bought for me rather than the regular Han figure. I think an expedition into my Mum's loft is in order to see if I can find it.
Wasn't the Boba Fett figure originally only available by saving up so many backing cards from other figures and mailing them in or am I getting mixed up with something else?
Dengar. I think it was Weetabix tokens you had to save up!
There were a few different ones. Dengar, Yoda (might be misremembering this one, but my mate's had a different coloured snake) and the Emperor are the ones I remember. And the Hoth accessories pack.
Was that the back packs and gas masks?
For ages, my favourite figure was Luke in his Hoth gear. And then the Gamorrean Guard came out - which was jsut a fantastic piece of work.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 27 February, 2015, 12:25:23 PM
Was that the back packs and gas masks?
Best bit of that greatest of all mailaways was Luke's grappling hook belt. The hours of pure joy that thing gave me.
Other notable postal 'freebies' included Nien Nunb , Admiral Ackbar and (albeit somewhat later) Mace Windu. But as figures go, that Boba Fett for 20p and three (?) cardbacks was impossible to beat. But ye gods the wait!
(http://i.imgur.com/8ISjERy.jpg)
It's a thing of beauty.
Quote from: Tordelback on 27 February, 2015, 12:38:50 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 27 February, 2015, 12:25:23 PM
Was that the back packs and gas masks?
Best bit of that greatest of all mailaways was Luke's grappling hook belt. The hours of pure joy that thing gave me.
Other notable postal 'freebies' included Nien Nunb , Admiral Ackbar and (albeit somewhat later) Mace Windu. But as figures go, that Boba Fett for 20p and three (?) cardbacks was impossible to beat. But ye gods the wait!
(http://i.imgur.com/8ISjERy.jpg)
One of my most treasured possessions as a child was this very leaflet, SIGNED by the actual, real, no-fooling Boba Fett himself (or it was just a man in a suit) at a signing event my mum took me to at a toy shop in Bradford.
Quote from: Tordelback on 27 February, 2015, 12:38:50 PM
Other notable postal 'freebies' included Nien Nunb , Admiral Ackbar and (albeit somewhat later) Mace Windu.
And the
Rancor Keeper(http://theswca.com/images-speci/harper/palitoy-art-rancor.jpg)
Never seen the Rancor Keeper before, remember the Boba Fett one very well from the old Marvel weeklies. Z
Wow, Rancor Keeper must have been after my time, never seen that offer before.
Ah Tordel we're gettin old....sure the site is filled with young whipper snappers like Dark Jimbo and HawkMonger (bet the wee shites are sniggering up their sleeves at old fogies like us). We may go and sit in the corner and dote. Z
From 1985?
I suspect a lot of Star Wars stuff, around that time - or slightly later, was being given away.
Quote from: Tordelback on 27 February, 2015, 07:59:59 PM
Wow, Rancor Keeper must have been after my time, never seen that offer before.
My cousin sent away for it after ROTJ - but he got everything.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 27 February, 2015, 08:07:29 PMMy cousin sent away for it after ROTJ - but he got everything.
That bloody Kevin, eh?
I remember the last vintage SW figures I got were the Max Rebo Band, a slightly embarrassing Christmas pressie for whatever super-mature age I thought I was. I set them up on my shelf, carefully posed Sy Snootles with her microphone stand, and that was that. Never played with them again, all grown up, see?
30 years later, can't get round my side of the bed for the boxes of the bloody things. Stupid kid that I was.
Haha I got Rancor Keeper when I was kid, it got cape hat, and guess what? He's bald!
(http://i.imgur.com/8lPeKFy.jpg?1)
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THIS TO IMPRESS ME (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/harrison-ford-injured-after-his-vintage-light-aircraft-crash-lands-near-los-angeles-report-claims-10089693.html)
A spokesman for Santa Monica hospital described Mr Ford's condition as "awesome".
QuoteAt the hospital. Dad is ok. Battered, but ok! He is every bit the man you would think he is. He is an incredibly strong man.
Chef Ben Ford (@ChefBenFord) March 6, 2015
What a guy!
That story came up as a notification alert on my email at 2amish last night and scared the shite out of me. I don't think I'd realised how important Harrison Ford was to me.
A complete influence on my life. ....Just the right age when all his cool films came out. Probably fields my recent annoyance at potentially killing Han solo. The man is undoubtedly talented at crash landing aircraft!
"When we arrived on scene we had a small aircraft that was down on Penmar Golf Course, near the Santa Monica airport," Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott told AFP.
"We had a solo occupant, an adult male, who was transported to a local hospital in critical condition."
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:m6vQ3wvLq0UJ:www.thejournal.ie/harrison-ford-plane-crash-1976182-Mar2015/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ie
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_YnxddWYAA5Fki.jpg:large)
Quote from: Goaty on 06 March, 2015, 12:35:16 PM
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B_YnxddWYAA5Fki.jpg:large)
:lol:
Too soon! TOO SOON!!!!
So, its definitely him flying the Falcon in that teaser trailer....
But with door malfunctions/broken legs, and now this, it might be best to plonk him in carbonite for a while. Just for safe keeping, mind.
QuoteToo soon! TOO SOON!!!!
You GMT guys probably missed it, but for a few hours last night there were mixed reports - some saying light injuries, some saying 'critical condition', and the sense on Twitter of thousands of people anxiously awaiting confirmation that he was OK so they could begin the jokes/gifs in earnest was almost palpable.
Quote from: radiator on 06 March, 2015, 04:31:46 PM
QuoteToo soon! TOO SOON!!!!
You GMT guys probably missed it, but for a few hours last night there were mixed reports - some saying light injuries, some saying 'critical condition', and the sense on Twitter of thousands of people anxiously awaiting confirmation that he was OK so they could begin the jokes/gifs in earnest was almost palpable.
Well, y'know, at least their priorities were in the right place.
The title and release date of the first Disney-produced Star Wars spin-off movie has been announced. It will be called 'Rogue One'. The film will be directed by Gareth Edwards and star Felicity Jones in the lead role, and will film in London this Summer, for release on December 16th 2016.
I had heard rumours that this film would be a pseudo heist caper and direct prequel to 'Star Wars' and tell the story of how the Rebel Alliance - perhaps with help from bounty hunters - stole the Death Star plans. I also heard that Jones might be playing Princess Leia.
That will be a sad one with so many Bothans will die to get that information.
Also, the next instalment of Star Wars proper - Rian Johnson's Episode VIII - will release on May 26th 2017.
Quote from: radiator on 12 March, 2015, 06:09:29 PM
I had heard rumours that this film would be a pseudo heist caper and direct prequel to 'Star Wars' and tell the story of how the Rebel Alliance - perhaps with help from bounty hunters - stole the Death Star plans. I also heard that Jones might be playing Princess Leia.
I can go with that. Just hope they are fun.
After the disappointment of Godzilla I am a bit concerned that Edwards will make a Star Wars movie that cuts away from the action just as things get interesting or just gives us glimpses of things going on in the background while we get to watch a bunch of boring two-dimensional characters.
I was almost fooled into thinking THIS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVrefxF0Xxg) is a legitimate trailer.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 31 March, 2015, 03:19:28 PM
I was almost fooled into thinking THIS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVrefxF0Xxg) is a legitimate trailer.
Nicely done, really.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 31 March, 2015, 03:19:28 PM
I was almost fooled into thinking THIS (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVrefxF0Xxg) is a legitimate trailer.
Quite impressive. I'd see that film.
http://comicbook.com/2015/03/31/star-wars-the-force-awakens-trailer-to-be-released-with-avengers/
All Star Wars films will be on iTunes to download this Friday.
Quote from: Goaty on 08 April, 2015, 03:31:41 PM
All Star WCheerss films will be on iTunes to download this Friday.
And XBOX Live, but they can shove their "£13.99 per film" right up their Shitters!
Cheers
Quote from: Goaty on 08 April, 2015, 03:31:41 PM
All Star Wars films will be on iTunes to download this Friday.
This is a dubious cash grab on Disney's part. Why download what you've already ripped?
Quote from: von Boom on 08 April, 2015, 03:42:36 PM
This is a dubious cash grab on Disney's part. Why download what you've already ripped?
Yes, why would you? Have Disney found a way to force you? If not, I don't see how this is a dubious cash grab.
Cheers
Jim
Perhaps dubious is the wrong word here. I'm thinking like long time fan that wouldn't download what I already have. I guess young viewers would prefer a download.
It depends on whether this is finally the original trilogy, pre-special edition, but cleaned up.
I am bored beyond tears trying to get my head around some of George's tinkering.
Quote from: PDitta on 08 April, 2015, 04:24:02 PM
It depends on whether this is finally the original trilogy, pre-special edition, but cleaned up.
I am bored beyond tears trying to get my head around some of George's tinkering.
On Xbox they're advertised as "Digitally Enhanced". I confidently predict a multitude of 'Jabba's' and extra scenes including a three hour Gungan party in the style of Lord of the Rings Dwarf Party.
Cheers
Well at least people can watch it on their phone / tablets?
QuoteIt depends on whether this is finally the original trilogy, pre-special edition, but cleaned up.
They're the 'Special Editions'.
I was holding out hope that they were gearing up to finally release the
original originals on Blu Ray ahead of TFA, but this seems to put the kibosh on that.
Would love to have the unmolested original films, but have zero interest in the tinkered with versions.
I'd buy the downloads rather than rip them, if I actually wanted any of these movies digitally. Alas, I can't face re-watching any of them right now.
Quote from: radiator on 08 April, 2015, 05:41:50 PM
Would love to have the unmolested original films, but have zero interest in the tinkered with versions.
Amen, brother.
I have the Special Editions on DVD and they simply do not reflect what was great about proper Star Wars.
I fail to see how any version of the original trilogy substantially differs from any other version. The most grating thing is the extended musical number in Return of the Jedi, but even then - there was an odd musical interlude in the original.
Extra ships, flare, jawas, stormtroopers or whatever - I just fail to see how they can alter, never mind "ruin" (and I'm not saying that anyone here has claimed that word) the films. They are, fundamentally and for 99.9% of their content, the same damn thing.
It's like arguing that IDW's colouring of The Apocalypse War has somehow rendered into an unrecognisable and different beast. Except, even then, it's closer to a re-colouring for these films, rather thatn a wholesale conversion from black and white.
Agree with you, Dr X. Don't understand fuss about original and special versions.
I'd guess with a lot of people it's the not broke don't fix angle. The '97 'enhanced' movies were the precursor to the shite foisted upon us 2 years later. An emphasis on CGI effects and terrible scripts. I know it was Lucases baby, but did no one have the balls to say to him. Although in IMHO the rot started with Return of the Jewish and those fucking Ewoks. Z
And I think Revenge of the Sith was awful as well.
Quotehey are, fundamentally and for 99.9% of their content, the same damn thing.
I'd dispute that - there are
hundreds of minor changes and alterations, as well as many major ones. IIRC entire sequences have been re-edited and actors removed from the films entirely. Iconic moments - such as Darth Vader killing the Emperor or Han Solo's introduction are - yes -
ruined. Far,
far more than just 0.1% has been changed - I'd peg it as closer to 10/20% of what is on screen. Even the less offensive changes - such as cgi shots inserted into the space battles - stick out like a sore thumb.
I can see why the changes might not bother some people as much, but I just find them totally and utterly distracting. Fundamentally, they are no longer the films I remember watching as a kid. I'd rather watch the inferior version of the originals on the 2004 DVDs than these recent releases.
Just what Radiator said....and Solo did shoot first and it was cool that he did so. so there! Z
Fair enough. You say tommy-toe, I say tomma-toe.
Changing that scene was the only thing I could not get over. All the other changes vary from 'I like it', through 'I don't care' to 'I'm not keen', but the Solo incident was unforgivable. The whole purpose of him shooting Greedo the way he did was to underline the fact he was a CRIMINAL, and should not be trusted. That way, when he turns up to save the day at the Death Star, we are pleasantly surprised. To have Greedo shoot first, robs Han of that character defining incident, and makes him more of a rough diamond than a rogue.
Can I very quickly point out that my Return of the Jewish quote is as ever a result of this predictive auto correct wank: Return of the Jedi is what I meant to say. Z
And you are spot on Ghost. Z
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 08 April, 2015, 07:09:31 PM
Changing that scene was the only thing I could not get over. All the other changes vary from 'I like it', through 'I don't care' to 'I'm not keen', but the Solo incident was unforgivable. The whole purpose of him shooting Greedo the way he did was to underline the fact he was a CRIMINAL, and should not be trusted. That way, when he turns up to save the day at the Death Star, we are pleasantly surprised. To have Greedo shoot first, robs Han of that character defining incident, and makes him more of a rough diamond than a rogue.
It also makes no sense whatsoever - how could anyone miss at point blank range? ISTR they also added a weird effect where Han awkwardly jerks out of the way. Bonkers.
The Jabba scene is the other really egregious thing in the first film. It's just horrible.
The original movies are late 70s/early 80s movies, it just feels so weird to have this garish plasticy sheen over them to make them look a piece with the prequels.
Anyway, I've been listening to this superb podcast recently called
I Was There Too which interviews actors who played small roles in iconic films and scenes. The best episode so far featured comedian Greg Proops who played the podrace commentator in The Phantom Menace. His recounted experiences of working on the film are as enlightening as they are hilarious. Well worth a listen.
http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops (http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops)
Quote from: radiator on 08 April, 2015, 07:29:16 PM
It also makes no sense whatsoever - how could anyone miss at point blank range? ISTR they also added a weird effect where Han awkwardly jerks out of the way. Bonkers.
Yup. That was what.....the third go at it? First time it was the most ridiculous banana shot ever, then it was a lesser banana, then the banana combined with him managing to dodge sideways without moving his shoulders in relation to his pelvis.
Quote from: radiator on 08 April, 2015, 07:29:16 PMThe Jabba scene is the other really egregious thing in the first film. It's just horrible.
I don't mind the content.....but the mechanics....yeah, have to agree!
I assume originally Jabba was a small time mafiosa type character who needed to personally threaten and interact with the likes of Solo, hence I suppose the meeting in the launch bay. I don't have a difficulty with the maximisation of the character up to a Fat veronicalleoid super boss.....but! Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 08 April, 2015, 07:47:04 PM
I assume originally Jabba was a small time mafiosa type character who needed to personally threaten and interact with the likes of Solo, hence I suppose the meeting in the launch bay. I don't have a difficulty with the maximisation of the character up to a Fat veronicalleoid super boss.....but! Z
Think I saw a pic of the 'original' Jabba (from that scene) a few years ago, a chubby Friar Tuck-a-like if I recall.
Apparently with an Irish accent. Or did I just make that up?
(http://www.thestarwarstrilogy.com/starwars/image.axd?picture=2011%2F10%2FJabba.jpg)
In the old Star Wars Weekly he was a humanoid sort of dude who had a mustelidae facial structure and oozed lowlife bad naturedness. The original actor in Star wars would have suited just as well. Z
Quote from: Link Prime on 08 April, 2015, 07:50:23 PM
Apparently with an Irish accent. Or did I just make that up?
Nope. True story.
Quote from: Link Prime on 08 April, 2015, 07:50:23 PM
Quote from: ZenArcade on 08 April, 2015, 07:47:04 PM
I assume originally Jabba was a small time mafiosa type character who needed to personally threaten and interact with the likes of Solo, hence I suppose the meeting in the launch bay. I don't have a difficulty with the maximisation of the character up to a Fat veronicalleoid super boss.....but! Z
Think I saw a pic of the 'original' Jabba (from that scene) a few years ago, a chubby Friar Tuck-a-like if I recall.
Apparently with an Irish accent. Or did I just make that up?
You can see the original scene here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sf4eb9l__4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Sf4eb9l__4)
It was pretty awful and needed to be cut from the original movie. That said it is still better that the terrible reworked version for the special editions :sick:.
Anyone interested in seeing the original trilogy in its original form should check out the Despecialised editions. These are fan edits but are far superior in picture quality to any official version and they also have all of the special edition additions removed.
http://thestarwarstrilogy.com/starwars/post/2013/05/27/The-Making-of-Harmys-Despecialized-Edition (http://thestarwarstrilogy.com/starwars/post/2013/05/27/The-Making-of-Harmys-Despecialized-Edition)
Quote from: Goaty on 08 April, 2015, 06:37:47 PM
Agree with you, Dr X. Don't understand fuss about original and special versions.
I'm not a purist, I just don't think some of the digital debris George elected to litter the films with adds much.
I think Adywan's version of Star Wars is the best I've seen. He takes liberties, but I think his additions make more sense. For example, he adds a ton of TIE fighters to the death star battle,which makes more sense than a battle station equipped with
thousands of fighters only launching a bare couple of dozen ships.
I actually went on the wookipedia site and looked this up and there was some bullshit about Tarkin not allowing fighters out as the station was impregnable; so Vader went out with his own squadron. FFS the extended universe stuff is stultifyingly bad, almost on that shite Frank Herbert's son releases a Dune Books. Z
Quote from: PDitta on 08 April, 2015, 09:36:10 PM
I think Adywan's version of Star Wars is the best I've seen. He takes liberties, but I think his additions make more sense. For example, he adds a ton of TIE fighters to the death star battle,which makes more sense than a battle station equipped with thousands of fighters only launching a bare couple of dozen ships.
They'd only taken the wrapping off it so while fully operational it wasn't fully staffed.
Well Tarkin was certainly giving it a shake down at Alderann. You don't field test a system if all of the requisite components aren't in place. Z
Jeeesus I'm turning into a Star Wars nerd...helppppp!!!
There are still shite bits in the original versions.
I really like some of the tinkering (e.g. opening up cloud city makes it seem more like a city than a set) but other bits are badly executed and redundant. (Jabba, Jawas having pie fights)
I must not be paying attention; what changed about Vader killin the Emperor?
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 09 April, 2015, 08:33:08 AM
I must not be paying attention; what changed about Vader killin the Emperor?
http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-10-nonsensical-changes-in-various-special-editions.php/9 (http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-10-nonsensical-changes-in-various-special-editions.php/9)
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 09 April, 2015, 08:33:08 AM
I really like some of the tinkering (e.g. opening up cloud city makes it seem more like a city than a set)
That was some of the best changes. I hardly noticed on first viewing as it'd been so long since I'd seen the original, and it was so well meshed in. Great work.
Quote from: radiator on 08 April, 2015, 07:29:16 PM
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 08 April, 2015, 07:09:31 PM
Changing that scene was the only thing I could not get over. All the other changes vary from 'I like it', through 'I don't care' to 'I'm not keen', but the Solo incident was unforgivable. The whole purpose of him shooting Greedo the way he did was to underline the fact he was a CRIMINAL, and should not be trusted. That way, when he turns up to save the day at the Death Star, we are pleasantly surprised. To have Greedo shoot first, robs Han of that character defining incident, and makes him more of a rough diamond than a rogue.
It also makes no sense whatsoever - how could anyone miss at point blank range? ISTR they also added a weird effect where Han awkwardly jerks out of the way. Bonkers.
The Jabba scene is the other really egregious thing in the first film. It's just horrible.
The original movies are late 70s/early 80s movies, it just feels so weird to have this garish plasticy sheen over them to make them look a piece with the prequels.
Anyway, I've been listening to this superb podcast recently called I Was There Too which interviews actors who played small roles in iconic films and scenes. The best episode so far featured comedian Greg Proops who played the podrace commentator in The Phantom Menace. His recounted experiences of working on the film are as enlightening as they are hilarious. Well worth a listen.
http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops (http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops)
The Richard Herring Leicester Square Theatre podcast with Peter Serafinowicz covers prequel ground as well, with Terence stamp stories and attending the premiere...
Quote from: ZenArcade on 08 April, 2015, 09:52:14 PM
FFS the extended universe stuff is stultifyingly bad, almost on that shite Frank Herbert's son releases a Dune Books. Z
*uses voice*
Frank's son released no Dune books.
*finished voice*
;)
Quote from: Goaty on 09 April, 2015, 08:36:29 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 09 April, 2015, 08:33:08 AM
I must not be paying attention; what changed about Vader killin the Emperor?
http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-10-nonsensical-changes-in-various-special-editions.php/9 (http://whatculture.com/film/star-wars-10-nonsensical-changes-in-various-special-editions.php/9)
Aah. I have never seen that version of the movie. My Star Wars DVD predate Revenge of the Shit.
Quote from: Steve Green on 09 April, 2015, 01:33:50 PM
Quote from: radiator on 08 April, 2015, 07:29:16 PM
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 08 April, 2015, 07:09:31 PM
Changing that scene was the only thing I could not get over. All the other changes vary from 'I like it', through 'I don't care' to 'I'm not keen', but the Solo incident was unforgivable. The whole purpose of him shooting Greedo the way he did was to underline the fact he was a CRIMINAL, and should not be trusted. That way, when he turns up to save the day at the Death Star, we are pleasantly surprised. To have Greedo shoot first, robs Han of that character defining incident, and makes him more of a rough diamond than a rogue.
It also makes no sense whatsoever - how could anyone miss at point blank range? ISTR they also added a weird effect where Han awkwardly jerks out of the way. Bonkers.
The Jabba scene is the other really egregious thing in the first film. It's just horrible.
The original movies are late 70s/early 80s movies, it just feels so weird to have this garish plasticy sheen over them to make them look a piece with the prequels.
Anyway, I've been listening to this superb podcast recently called I Was There Too which interviews actors who played small roles in iconic films and scenes. The best episode so far featured comedian Greg Proops who played the podrace commentator in The Phantom Menace. His recounted experiences of working on the film are as enlightening as they are hilarious. Well worth a listen.
http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops (http://iwastheretoo.wolfpop.com/audio/20361/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-with-greg-proops)
The Richard Herring Leicester Square Theatre podcast with Peter Serafinowicz covers prequel ground as well, with Terence stamp stories and attending the premiere...
Yeah, that's hilarious too. Refreshing to hear someone being so candid.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 08 April, 2015, 07:55:38 PM
In the old Star Wars Weekly he was a humanoid sort of dude who had a mustelidae facial structure and oozed lowlife bad naturedness. The original actor in Star wars would have suited just as well. Z
...wearing an Imperial uniform (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jabba_the_Hutt#/media/File:JabbaHut.jpg), no less.
Von Boom, if only someone could use the voice re Herbert Jnr and that Anderson clowns butchery of a vast intellectual concept. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 09 April, 2015, 03:47:27 PM
Von Boom, if only someone could use the voice re Herbert Jnr and that Anderson clowns butchery of a vast intellectual concept. Z
Voice is too good for 'em. They need to be left in the desert for the worms.
Trussed up with torn stillsuits in the deep sands and a thumper set off beside them. Z
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 08 April, 2015, 10:09:23 PM
Quote from: PDitta on 08 April, 2015, 09:36:10 PM
I think Adywan's version of Star Wars is the best I've seen. He takes liberties, but I think his additions make more sense. For example, he adds a ton of TIE fighters to the death star battle,which makes more sense than a battle station equipped with thousands of fighters only launching a bare couple of dozen ships.
They'd only taken the wrapping off it so while fully operational it wasn't fully staffed.
You're thinking of the Death Star MkII
The Death Star was up and running, but let's not overdo our nerd credentials. :)
But surely the whole thing about the Death Star Mark Two was that it was fully completed for the task the Emperor had in mind, that being the luring in of the Alliance forces through their mistaken belief the Battle Station was incomplete, and their extripation by what was infact a very potent decoy. Z
Yeah, but the canteen wasn't open yet. ;)
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 12 April, 2015, 11:11:46 PM
Yeah, but the canteen wasn't open yet. ;)
The lack of penne alla arrabiata was the cause of their ultimate downfall....
:D
Quote from: PDitta on 12 April, 2015, 11:01:52 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 08 April, 2015, 10:09:23 PM
They'd only taken the wrapping off it so while fully operational it wasn't fully staffed.
You're thinking of the Death Star MkII
The Death Star was up and running, but let's not overdo our nerd credentials. :)
It was only being "tested" and being made "operational" in Ep.IV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0qLzsIhUMk
I'm sure the reason why the canteen wasn't open was because the prospective new manager was working in the cantina on Tatooine and tripped over Chewbacca whilst serving spacebeer and got laid up for a while. Annoyingly like everyone else in the expanded universe who inspite of living in a galaxy filled with millions of Planets and countless trillions of entities all seem to know each other or have been in places where they have previously knowing or unknowingly interacted with the main protagonists. I hate this kind of lazy shite. Z
Things were tight - they didn't even have free bluemilk.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 12 April, 2015, 11:40:16 PM
I hate this kind of lazy shite. Z
Yup. Like Tatooine....for someplace so far away from the bright shining centre of the galaxy, it sure is a busy old planet.
Okay everyone, let's step back from the brink....I can feel this heading into "George Lucas sucks balls" territory and we all just have to learn to let go.
There, I said it.
Mumble........George Lucas sucks balls.....mutter.........
:D
Should be an exciting week though with Celebration kicking off tomorrow. Aren't we getting a new trailer and some Battlefront footage? Wahooooo!
Quote from: Pete Wells on 15 April, 2015, 08:28:00 AM
Should be an exciting week though with Celebration kicking off tomorrow. Aren't we getting a new trailer and some Battlefront footage? Wahooooo!
The trailer's going to be in front of Age of Ultron, I think...
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 15 April, 2015, 08:48:17 AM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 15 April, 2015, 08:28:00 AM
Should be an exciting week though with Celebration kicking off tomorrow. Aren't we getting a new trailer and some Battlefront footage? Wahooooo!
The trailer's going to be in front of Age of Ultron, I think...
And some trailer about some bat and red pant man? I dunno.
The batman/superman trailer is confirmed for Mad Max fury road.
People getting this excited over a few seconds of footage from a series which hasn't had a good installment in over 30 years is the reason we can't have nice things.
http://makingstarwars.net/2015/04/promo-art-of-kylo-ren-captain-phasma-incinerator-troopers-and-more-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens/
some lovely images on making star wars that look great and also a pic on the site of the full trooper armour
"Captain Phasma". "Kylo Ren".
Bib Fortuna sounds positviely Shakespearean in comparison.
Alternatively, a million times better than 'Darth Sidious' or 'General Grevious'.
Bloody hell, B88 is real not CGI! On live stream from the stage!
Or the character they cut out of the Phantom menace: Plotto Crapicus.
Not gonna lie: That new teaser was phenomenally exciting.
2nd Teaser...
USE THE LINK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCc2v7izk8w (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCc2v7izk8w)
Quote from: radiator on 16 April, 2015, 07:07:07 PM
Not gonna lie: That new teaser was phenomenally exciting.
Yup. All the screaming and clapping was happening in this house.
Putting all cynicism aside for a second. It looks genuinely fantastic. If the film is half as good as that trailer it'll be a cracker. I like the new characters already.
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
I was worried old Han Solo would be embarrassing, but he's cool as f***. I can't listen to him talking to Chewie without thinking of Ford's Jimmy Fallon appearance though https://youtu.be/7T0vs9gYydo
Awesome
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Call me dead inside, but I eye-rolled like a mo-fo.
But yeah, it does look nice. The ruined Star Destroyer was a great visual image.
the force is strong with this one
Quote from: ZenArcade on 16 April, 2015, 06:42:00 PM
Or the character they cut out of the Phantom menace: Plotto Crapicus.
No..... pretty sure there was a heavy presence throughout the prequel trilogy. ;)
Wow! I been watch this 5 times, still awesome!
Love that Star Destroyer ruin,
Chrome Leader trooper with cloak, who is him??
and that ending [spoiler]"Chewie, we're home" I guess they finally aboard the Falcon after long time? [/spoiler]
That was really nice. The ruined Star Destroyer was straight out of the Comic Book store behind the till poster in the Big Bang Theory; the TIE Fighter in the Hanger scene was out of a video game; the new X-Wing helmet looks ergodynamically torturous. But the smaller scenes are perfect: the Darth Vader semi melted mask; the cyborged claw reaching towards the R2 unit and all else on this excerpt is absolutely fantastic.
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/da1a925da0e6bc00fa39307b8a3eab89/tumblr_nmwxuwjIpI1qcjzvuo5_500.gif)
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/e853e22854acf7cb9dc6ab6189e047ae/tumblr_nmwxuwjIpI1qcjzvuo4_500.gif)
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/56844f4796efd4f7e515ab6f5df9a55d/tumblr_nmwxuwjIpI1qcjzvuo2_500.gif)
(https://33.media.tumblr.com/7fc0aaa1ff31439a05e32bcdb7156a39/tumblr_nmwxuwjIpI1qcjzvuo7_500.gif)
Quotehrome Leader trooper with cloak, who is him??
[spoiler]Brienne of Tarth[/spoiler], apparently.
The new Stormtroopers do [spoiler]kinda look like ducks[/spoiler]. <- You'll never be able to unsee it if you click on that.
Cheers
Jim
(https://33.media.tumblr.com/5aa79ef680eec24ef18f4c6f8c5d4652/tumblr_nmwxpdNuzj1s3y9slo2_500.gif)
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/050375f097d4709c392859193ddc75db/tumblr_nmwxpdNuzj1s3y9slo1_500.gif)
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 16 April, 2015, 08:26:11 PM
The new Stormtroopers do [spoiler]kinda look like ducks[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Donald Ducks, maybe. The marketing people are taking over big time.[/spoiler]
Liked almost all of that, even if the action scenes look to be shakycam dogshit.
"OMG they killed Han Solo!"
"HOW CAN YOU TELL?"
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 16 April, 2015, 07:52:08 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Call me dead inside, but I eye-rolled like a mo-fo.
But yeah, it does look nice. The ruined Star Destroyer was a great visual image.
Ah, but to be fair my friend, I'd be worried of you didn't! Maybe if they threw some turtles and Conan in the mix..? ;-)
It's fan-servicey, but not as cringey as I feared it would be. Couldn't help but crack a smile.
BB-8 is a genius little design. Sounds very much like AVA from WALL-E.
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 09:00:49 PM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 16 April, 2015, 07:52:08 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Call me dead inside, but I eye-rolled like a mo-fo.
But yeah, it does look nice. The ruined Star Destroyer was a great visual image.
Ah, but to be fair my friend, I'd be worried of you didn't! Maybe if they threw some turtles and Conan in the mix..? ;-)
haha you know me too well!
(https://41.media.tumblr.com/a21d6eaf017ff87714f36f777cb1ee8c/tumblr_nmx1mjFVGB1qzmsvvo6_1280.jpg)
Starkiller did that?
(http://blog.al.com/techcetera/2008/09/crashed_destroyer.jpg)
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't giddy as hell after seeing that. :D
I've avoided much of the build up to this to try not to be spoiled, so I can be genuinely surprised by what I see and so I don't build up too much hope so I can go in with a clear head BUT that first shot and that final statement was pure fanfodder and my giddy Aunt it reminded me what a fan I am... could this, just could this live up to hopes?
I sense something; a presence I've not felt since...[spoiler]1983[/spoiler].
OK, so I'm thick as shit. I only noticed on the fifth watch that the first shot of the trailer (and most likely the first shot of the actual film) is a visual reference/homage to and clever inversion of the iconic opening shot of Star Wars, with the tiny ship dwarfed as a giant star destroyer hoves into view.
Neat.
The classic opening. Didn't all three open in a similar fashion? My memory may be hazy on that....
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 16 April, 2015, 10:02:11 PM
The classic opening. Didn't all three open in a similar fashion? My memory may be hazy on that....
Yup, they did indeed.
Well all classic star wars opening in space, with Star Destroyer...
Reassuring to know that the desert planet is not Tatooine. The prequels made the galaxy seem small enough as is.
Here's BB-8 on the stage, don't know how they do that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c)
All three opened with a Star Destroyer/s hoving into view. And what a treat that was. Z
Quote from: Goaty on 16 April, 2015, 10:13:06 PM
Here's BB-8 on the stage, don't know how they do that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABzjUf3E_0c)
Magnets, I guess
some piccys of two new troopers, a flamethrower guy and the new snowtrooper
http://yakfaceforums.com/main/2015/04/16/the-force-awakens-factions-revealed/
It's like I'm 10 years old again watching 'No Disintegrations'
I nearly cried at that trailer..maybe more to do with the fact it may just banish the prequels into hellish memory
Ridiculous
I like the Star Wars
So the Rebel Alliance are now known as The Resistance, and the Empire are going by 'The First Order'.
Looks as though the Alliance dropped the ball after Endor. Pricks!!
Awesome teaser trailer......I can't wait for December this year.
Hopes it screens on or close to my birthday.
Tonight I discovered that 'nerd tears' are an actual phenomena.
I wake up every goddamn morning for six months waiting for the second trailer and the one day I don't look for it I miss it by almost 16 hours.Eight months of extreme torture waiting for this now.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 17 April, 2015, 12:00:40 AM
Looks as though the Alliance dropped the ball after Endor. Pricks!!
Ha ha ha!
I've been trying to avoid all the trailers and pictures, although I've been enjoying the discussion, but I guess not clicking on the links isn't enough if Goaty's going to post all the clips openly too - I'll have to avoid this thread altogether from now on.
Kind of worried I might be dead inside, because neither of the trailers have done anything for me so far. Not excited or let down, they just landed completely flat for me.
I can imagine I'll probably get swept up in the excitement closer to release, but I really expected to be feeling that excitement by now. And the Han Solo line seems to have thrilled a lot of people, but I thought it felt really awkward and cringey somehow.
Yup, you are dead inside. :-)
Yeah keef I'd be checking my pulse if I was you or if you've got a craving for brraaaiiiinnnnnssssss.
Even Richmonds excited and he only gets excited when he gets to ban people.
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 17 April, 2015, 10:27:14 AM
Even Richmonds excited and he only gets excited when he gets to ban people.
True dat.
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 16 April, 2015, 07:52:08 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Call me dead inside, but I eye-rolled like a mo-fo.
Ha. The Han & Chewie reveal was basically the only bit I didn't like!
Is it too soon to love Star Wars again?
I never stopped.......so no, it's not too soon :-)
Recently sat with my girls and we watched the 6 films, in release order - they loved them. Sat with them this morning to watch the trailer and the look of wonder on their face as the various 'wow' points came up was brilliant. And the final Chewie/Han reveal? Punches in the air from both of them.
Magic!!
Well done! I've been trying for years with both of my kids but unfortunately star wars is still met mostly with apathy.
Now lets just hope the Han = dead rumour doesn't play out.
Quote from: SIP on 17 April, 2015, 03:26:48 PM
Now lets just hope the Han = dead rumour doesn't play out.
I really hope it does. Line the old guard up, wipe 'em out. Let the new generation create some new magic instead of yet more fan service for old farts like us.
Cheers
Jim
I wonder if the new generation is that interested? If not, please cater to the old farts.....I'll pay lots of money to see your film (more than once ), buy your blurays and an endless amount of merchandise junk.
The new generation want's fan service as well, thank you very much! :P
Quote from: Dandontdare on 17 April, 2015, 09:07:31 AM
I've been trying to avoid all the trailers and pictures, although I've been enjoying the discussion, but I guess not clicking on the links isn't enough if Goaty's going to post all the clips openly too - I'll have to avoid this thread altogether from now on.
He does love his spoilers, that's for sure - isn't there still an 'ignore' function on the board somewhere, though?
I would never do that, I love Goaty!
I'm probably best avoiding the thread anyway the closer we get to release as it's going to be impossible to avoid spoilers.
I was expecting him to actually show the whole of Dredd via those type of clips on the Dredd thread. I'm sure it'll happen one day ;)
Aww
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 April, 2015, 10:57:29 AM
Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 16 April, 2015, 07:52:08 PM
Quote from: Richmond Clements on 16 April, 2015, 07:44:42 PM
And if those final seconds did not give you a big shit eating grin, I suspect you must be dead inside!
Call me dead inside, but I eye-rolled like a mo-fo.
Ha. The Han & Chewie reveal was basically the only bit I didn't like!
The line was awful but Han's still cool and the way Ford uses his voice in that role opens up a direct route to the part of my brain that's still four years old. I felt the same way about seeing and hearing him play Indiana Jones again in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull but then the rest of the film was rubbish. I expect similar results here!
I'd be astounded if TFA is anywhere near as bad as Crystal Skull.
I think the worst case scenario is that it turns out to be a solid but flawed film that leans too heavily on nostalgia. I also really hope they keep the narrative simple and propulsive. Simple adventure movie, nothing more complex than the originals - don't get too bogged down in trying to build this huge narrative.
The trailer seems to suggest that they've really nailed the tone. It looks like there's going to be grittiness, but also lots of fun and earnestness.
Looked great - the one thing that slightly bugged me was the zoom in on the falcon being chased - it's just a trick that I don't associate with Star Wars (I know it turned up in ATOC...) and jars a little.
Quote from: radiator on 17 April, 2015, 05:41:05 PM
I also really hope they keep the narrative simple and propulsive
It's being written and directed by the guy who made Mission Impossible 3 and Star Trek: Into Darkness.
He's co-wrote story with Lawrence kasdan who co-wrote raiders and empire so I'm not worried.its still going to be far better than all the prequels.
I think Abrams is a decent filmmaker, but i do have concerns about his writing. If TFA is on a par with Star Trek 2009 (which is a solid, if flawed, movie imo) I think that'll do. I almost think they've shot themselves in the foot by having such a great trailer - i think its raised everyone's expectations considerably.
Just remember how great the Phantom Menace trailer was. I watched it yesterday, and you could still almost believe the film itself could be great.
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 17 April, 2015, 04:22:48 PM
I was expecting him to actually show the whole of Dredd via those type of clips on the Dredd thread. I'm sure it'll happen one day ;)
I avoided that thread for about 9 months pre-release so that the movie would be as fresh as possible then found out that I could've had my name in graffiti if I'd been involved! (Doubt that's the case with Star Wars though!)
Quote from: Dandontdare on 17 April, 2015, 08:12:32 PM
I avoided that thread for about 9 months pre-release so that the movie would be as fresh as possible then found out that I could've had my name in graffiti if I'd been involved!
God, me too! Sick as a parrot, I tells ya.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 16 April, 2015, 08:26:11 PM
The new Stormtroopers do [spoiler]kinda look like ducks[/spoiler]. <- You'll never be able to unsee it if you click on that.
Cheers
Jim
So very true!
Quote from: Dandontdare on 17 April, 2015, 08:12:32 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 17 April, 2015, 04:22:48 PM
I was expecting him to actually show the whole of Dredd via those type of clips on the Dredd thread. I'm sure it'll happen one day ;)
I avoided that thread for about 9 months pre-release so that the movie would be as fresh as possible then found out that I could've had my name in graffiti if I'd been involved! (Doubt that's the case with Star Wars though!)
I share that pain
just been announced that "rogue one" will be about the obtaining of the death star plans so that should be a nice retro film
Lets add some linkage to that fact:
http://screencrush.com/star-wars-rogue-one-trailer-plot/
many thanks . I forgot to put one in! apparently its gonna be gritty.
I liked a lot of that TFA trailer - but also groaned at Han and Chewie appearing accompanied by a right cheesy line.
(http://s1.postimg.org/a8zy3vzaz/Screenshot_2015_04_20_11_41_04_3.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/a8zy3vzaz/)
Rogue 1 screenshot of a screenshot of the DS1
Quote from: JPMaybe on 20 April, 2015, 12:08:50 PM
(http://s1.postimg.org/a8zy3vzaz/Screenshot_2015_04_20_11_41_04_3.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/a8zy3vzaz/)
Rogue 1 screenshot of a screenshot of the DS1
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet
They haven't put the insides in it yet.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Quote from: JPMaybe on 20 April, 2015, 12:08:50 PM
(http://s1.postimg.org/a8zy3vzaz/Screenshot_2015_04_20_11_41_04_3.jpg) (http://postimg.org/image/a8zy3vzaz/)
Rogue 1 screenshot of a screenshot of the DS1
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
They needn't have bothered with the big laser then?
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
I'm sure there's probably a satisfactory in universe explanation for how this is possible. Probably midichlorians or somesuch.
I'm not sure I like the sound of Rogue 1. Examinging the "war" aspect of Star Wars doesn't feel right to me. I know there's plenty of slaughter in Star Wars films but (for the most part) it's light hearted, fun and colourful slaughter!
(I only recently saw some deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi and one of the things that looked off was that after a deleted firefight in the Endor Sheild generator, there was a big pile of Stormtrooper bodies left in the corridor)
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 April, 2015, 10:29:55 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
Meh. Something something something repulsorlits.
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 April, 2015, 10:29:55 AM
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's its mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
Can quote Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation; can't correctly deploy a possessive apostrophe. Tsk.
Jim
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 April, 2015, 10:29:55 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
...plus modeling the DS as solid iron and 120km in diameter (the current canon value I believe) and assuming it's only 100km away from the nearside of the planet (which ignores how big the planet here is, and whether an object 120km in diameter could possibly appear that big in the sky of a terrestrial planet without physically intersecting it) and the DS's gravitational pull would only amount to roughly 0.5 Newtons/kg on that near side, (somebody should check this for oom errors, if, y'know, you're as nerdily invested in this as I am) which would certainly fuck up the tides but wouldn't be instantly catastrophic. This also neglects the mass/energy the DS would need to cart around to blast apart Alderaan at a sizable fraction of the speed of light, but oh well.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 April, 2015, 12:15:26 PM
I'm not sure I like the sound of Rogue 1. Examinging the "war" aspect of Star Wars doesn't feel right to me. I know there's plenty of slaughter in Star Wars films but (for the most part) it's light hearted, fun and colourful slaughter!
(I only recently saw some deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi and one of the things that looked off was that after a deleted firefight in the Endor Sheild generator, there was a big pile of Stormtrooper bodies left in the corridor)
Well, remember Owen and Beru Lars' incinerated corpses in ANH. And an imperial officer getting his chest blown open on the DS, and Han getting tortured in ESB, and Anakin's slow incineration in RotS.
I really like the idea anyway, and think it could be a real advantage of these side films- leave the grand, hero's-journey space-wizards and laser-swords stuff for the main films and try something a bit different in the side projects. Plus my favourite bit of the EU was the third of the Black Fleet Crisis trilogy that was basically a Star Wars Tom Clancy novel.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 21 April, 2015, 01:01:51 PM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 April, 2015, 10:29:55 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
...plus modeling the DS as solid iron and 120km in diameter (the current canon value I believe) and assuming it's only 100km away from the nearside of the planet (which ignores how big the planet here is, and whether an object 120km in diameter could possibly appear that big in the sky of a terrestrial planet without physically intersecting it) and the DS's gravitational pull would only amount to roughly 0.5 Newtons/kg on that near side, (somebody should check this for oom errors, if, y'know, you're as nerdily invested in this as I am) which would certainly fuck up the tides but wouldn't be instantly catastrophic. This also neglects the mass/energy the DS would need to cart around to blast apart Alderaan at a sizable fraction of the speed of light, but oh well.
Arh but you're neglecting to take into account they've installed their Reflux Quantum Drive Modulator routed through their Flange Gusset Overdrive pushing out 24.98 Gigabaffles of Millisonaamps at 8065.94 Watzit p/a.
That should cancel out all that gubbins with Treffle-response Oscillators to spare*
Arh sci-fi science you make it sooooo easy.
*And if you don't get that gag you don't know anything about Macrosnide Trap-convectors and should be ashamed of yourself.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 21 April, 2015, 01:33:19 PM
Quote from: JPMaybe on 21 April, 2015, 01:01:51 PM
Quote from: Pyroxian on 21 April, 2015, 10:29:55 AM
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2015, 09:08:38 AM
Something of that mass so close to a planet would completely wipe out any chance of life, let alone allow lovely forestscapes. Not that Star Wars ever bothered with science anyway, but just saying.
...plus the orbital mechanics are all wrong, unless it's mass is substantially tiny (F = G(m1m2/r^2) and all that...)
...plus modeling the DS as solid iron and 120km in diameter (the current canon value I believe) and assuming it's only 100km away from the nearside of the planet (which ignores how big the planet here is, and whether an object 120km in diameter could possibly appear that big in the sky of a terrestrial planet without physically intersecting it) and the DS's gravitational pull would only amount to roughly 0.5 Newtons/kg on that near side, (somebody should check this for oom errors, if, y'know, you're as nerdily invested in this as I am) which would certainly fuck up the tides but wouldn't be instantly catastrophic. This also neglects the mass/energy the DS would need to cart around to blast apart Alderaan at a sizable fraction of the speed of light, but oh well.
Arh but you're neglecting to take into account they've installed their Reflux Quantum Drive Modulator routed through their Flange Gusset Overdrive pushing out 24.98 Gigabaffles of Millisonaamps at 8065.94 Watzit p/a.
That should cancel out all that gubbins with Treffle-response Oscillators to spare*
Arh sci-fi science you make it sooooo easy.
*And if you don't get that gag you don't know anything about Macrosnide Trap-convectors and should be ashamed of yourself.
...posting what I just did I'm already as ashamed as I'm going to get, believe me.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 21 April, 2015, 01:12:07 PM
I really like the idea anyway, and think it could be a real advantage of these side films- leave the grand, hero's-journey space-wizards and laser-swords stuff for the main films and try something a bit different in the side projects.
Kinda what Marvel seem to be doing with films like the second Captain America, where you basically import the characters and kit into the format of a previously successful film or genre (Parallax View/3 Days of the Condor). Fair enough if Star Wars wants to give that a try since Guardians of the Galaxy is Star Wars with Marvel characters.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 April, 2015, 12:15:26 PM
I'm not sure I like the sound of Rogue 1. Examinging the "war" aspect of Star Wars doesn't feel right to me. I know there's plenty of slaughter in Star Wars films but (for the most part) it's light hearted, fun and colourful slaughter!
Not sure I agree with this. I understand what you mean and it's certainly not Irreversible, but these are some of my abiding memories from seeing Star Wars as a five year old. The charred skeletons of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru (frequently edited out of later TV screenings I assume.) The utterly brutal way Vader kills the rebel commander. The first time we see what happens if he finds your lack of faith disturbing.
Quote from: The Cosh on 21 April, 2015, 02:33:06 PMThe first time we see what happens if he finds your lack of faith disturbing.
Ah yes - this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jdQqjcsfC8
For all my misgivings about how silly that Death Star looks so close to the planet, I was still pleasantly surprised by the announcement. No doubt I'll go see it.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 April, 2015, 12:15:26 PM
I'm not sure I like the sound of Rogue 1. Examinging the "war" aspect of Star Wars doesn't feel right to me. I know there's plenty of slaughter in Star Wars films but (for the most part) it's light hearted, fun and colourful slaughter!
(I only recently saw some deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi and one of the things that looked off was that after a deleted firefight in the Endor Sheild generator, there was a big pile of Stormtrooper bodies left in the corridor)
I suppose I mean that I really don't want to see STAR WARS: SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Francis and his nerd rants always amuse me, but this made me laugh!
http://youtu.be/z0pTt2K2R3Y
I'd laugh but I was just the same bar the pop toys.
Apparently George Osborne is going to announce that another Star Wars film is to be filmed in the UK.
I was of the opinion that fresh blood was great for the franchise, but there can be no clearer sign that the new producers of Star Wars haven't got a clue about the property if they willingly choose to align themselves with the Empire.
Osborne must be canvassing for a part CF, wonder what as?? Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 04 May, 2015, 12:44:53 PM
Osborne must be canvassing for a part CF, wonder what as?? Z
A Gungan probably.
Cheers
Heh, or one of those tight faced officious Imperial commanders who scuttle around doing Vader's dirty work. Z
(http://i.imgur.com/wUUerNE.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/vQkHURG.jpg)
There was a bit in season 4 of Girls when Driver's character - an actor - bemoaned the fact he had had to shave for a commercial he'd appeared in. Figured that it probably in reality had something to do with his role in TFA.
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CELDuqtW8AEqcVY.jpg:large)
Are they doing a Battlestar Galactica crossover?
(https://38.media.tumblr.com/350a3fc3e8116e0f98f236fb9072e5df/tumblr_mhf5xdQHmP1rzs31zo1_400.gif)
(https://40.media.tumblr.com/7c65c3a893cbfa61f938c3ef13662bf9/tumblr_nnu2t8Hsi61qz6f9yo4_1280.jpg)
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/79/53/70/7953706a683d250eb76ade72270669d5.jpg)
No prizes for guessing the character name
(http://i.imgur.com/diQh4q4.jpg?1)
I want that pet!
(http://i.imgur.com/ahLxHYo.jpg)
Tin boobs on a Droid (and like a metal crop top) but no "Boob Armour" for Captain Phasma?
Consistency, people, consistency.
Dunk!
(http://i.imgur.com/k3lRdDo.jpg)
Is it clear which of that motley bunch Lupita is actually playing?
Quote from: Dunk! on 04 May, 2015, 11:57:50 PM
Tin boobs on a Droid (and like a metal crop top)...
Isn't that a character from Mel Brooks' Spaceballs?!
(http://blog.calarts.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/spaceballs.jpg)
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 05 May, 2015, 08:14:56 PM
Quote from: Dunk! on 04 May, 2015, 11:57:50 PM
Tin boobs on a Droid (and like a metal crop top)...
Isn't that a character from Mel Brooks' Spaceballs?!
Or it's a comment on the Droid on the left in the SW:Force Awakens piccie above CFMs Spaceball image which CFM Is also commenting on with said image.
Dunk!
Strange rumour about Max Von Sydow's character.
[spoiler]He is Boba Fett [/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 08 May, 2015, 11:18:02 AM
Strange rumour about Max Von Sydow's character.
[spoiler]He is Boba Fett [/spoiler]
I was hoping for a Ming-type character.
Quote from: Goaty on 08 May, 2015, 11:18:02 AM
Strange rumour about Max Von Sydow's character.
[spoiler]He is Boba Fett [/spoiler]
It's shite like this that puts me off it. But then I drool over the visuals.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 08 May, 2015, 12:44:37 PMIt's shite like this that puts me off it.
Well it is a fan-rumour and I can't see the logic or sense of casting an actor who's as tall as Darth Vader to play a 5'8" [spoiler]bounty hunter[/spoiler].
well, he is meant to be a cyborg presumably after being half digested by mr sarlacc if it turns out to be true so they could fit him with longer legs.
Frankly, as the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone, is it too far fetched to think an armoured, well armed, bounty hunter couldn't kill it from the inside and climb out?
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 06:26:45 PM
Frankly, as the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone, is it too far fetched to think an armoured, well armed, bounty hunter couldn't kill it from the inside and climb out?
I think it was featured in Star Wars Tales comic series?
lso in the book 'Tales of the bounty hunters' I think.
I like the Robot Chicken versions of what happened next.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo10xiHvR_c (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mo10xiHvR_c)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RQUPUFRgro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RQUPUFRgro)
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 08 May, 2015, 06:49:42 PM
lso in the book 'Tales of the bounty hunters' I think.
Never heard of it, but there you go (assuming he got out)
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 06:26:45 PM
Frankly, as the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone, is it too far fetched to think an armoured, well armed, bounty hunter couldn't kill it from the inside and climb out?
A much simple explanation is the explosion from the sail-barge directly above it, and the flood of hot falling debris, choked it to death or forced it to eject the contents of its stomach.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 07:50:53 PM
Never heard of it, but there you go (assuming he got out)
There was a bunch of 'em. Tales from the new republic, tales from the empire, etc.
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tales_of_the_Bounty_Hunters
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 06:26:45 PM
Frankly, as the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone, is it too far fetched to think an armoured, well armed, bounty hunter couldn't kill it from the inside and climb out?
Hmm, I always found that a bit silly anyway. Surely you'd die of dehydration or starvation first? Even if the pit satisfied those demands you'd die of old age first!
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 08 May, 2015, 09:53:18 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 06:26:45 PM
Frankly, as the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone, is it too far fetched to think an armoured, well armed, bounty hunter couldn't kill it from the inside and climb out?
Hmm, I always found that a bit silly anyway. Surely you'd die of dehydration or starvation first? Even if the pit satisfied those demands you'd die of old age first!
That always bothered me too.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 08 May, 2015, 09:53:18 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 08 May, 2015, 06:26:45 PM
the Sarlacc takes 1,000 years to kill someone,
Hmm, I always found that a bit silly anyway. Surely you'd die of dehydration or starvation first? Even if the pit satisfied those demands you'd die of old age first!
The dead fluids which trap the consciousness of Judge Death inside an ambulatory corpse are clearly derived from a compound found in the digestive juices of the Sarlacc. And you have the cheek to call yourselves NERDS ...
Also, it was Jabba (through Bib Fortuna*) who described the ordeal, and hutts are a long lived species... So maybe he was talking about what it would be like for a hutt.
I assumed it was some kind of fluid preservation thing though. Nasty anyway...
Even as a fourteen-year-old, I assumed it was hyperbole. Not every word every character utters in a movie is the literal truth.
Cheers
Jim
I assumed that, as it took 1000 years to fully digest you, it meant the rest of your life was going to be spent in agonising pain as you were slowly eaten away by acid. That doesn't mean you're kept alive for 1000 years. You might die of starvation, or dehydration, or injury quite quickly, but however long or short the rest of your life it would be terribly painful.
I just assumed Jabba was full of shit.
Quote from: Bear on 10 May, 2015, 05:01:33 PM
I just assumed Jabba was full of shit.
And Frog smoothie.
There's been at least two versions of how Boba Fett got out, one in the Marvel comics series and one in Tales from Jabba's Palace. In the Tales from Jabba's Palace one it does literally take centuries for the victims to die, and they've formed a sort of group mind for some reason. It's actually not a bad read for a Star Wars EU story.
Him escaping and all of the hoops jumped through on these last couple of pages are exactly the sort of thing I don't like.
Would it be okay if he just said "I climbed out and everyone was gone so I went home"?
You can overthink these things.
From the local paper. Home made felt Star Wars figures:
(http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e129/jimmyalpha2008/Star%20Wars.jpg)
They weren't made by a wood mouse - that's a different article.
Think they could make me a yakface?
http://comicbook.com/2015/05/11/this-super-detailed-lego-millenium-falcon-is-jaw-dropping/
http://makingstarwars.net/2015/05/video-a-few-seconds-of-a-sequence-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens stunttrooper? ouch!
making star wars have a possible synopsis of the film
http://makingstarwars.net/2015/05/a-compiled-synopsis-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/
now, I was always the one kid in school who bought the novels and therefore don't mind spoilers of any kind
however I feel it is my duty to say now....if this is the film we're getting then I am officially 7 years old again and no one should have any doubts about this at all it is promising to be everything the originals were and more and nothing like the prequels that left a horrible taste in one's mouth...and if I'm wrong i'll give jim Campbell a big wet sloppy kiss!
Quote from: Grugz on 22 May, 2015, 06:07:31 PM
and if I'm wrong i'll give jim Campbell a big wet sloppy kiss!
Please don't, since a punch in the throat often offends!
Cheers
Jim
I'm pretty sure you wont need to pucker up! ;)
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 22 May, 2015, 06:09:57 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 22 May, 2015, 06:07:31 PM
and if I'm wrong i'll give jim Campbell a big wet sloppy kiss!
Please don't, since a punch in the throat often offends!
Cheers
Jim
since I've come down from the very strong painkillers, please don't threaten to punch people in the throat for a silly comment? I'm sure there are forum rules regarding this sort of behaviour. thank you.
There are probably forum rules against implied sexual assault as well, Grugz - but I doubt Jim's going to take you to task for it as I'm 99.9% sure he was joking around in the same spirit that you were...
With all genuine respect, fella, you do have a history of taking comments on the board too personally on occasion. We're all friends here, right?
Quote from: Dark Jimbo on 22 May, 2015, 10:28:03 PM
There are probably forum rules against implied sexual assault as well, Grugz - but I doubt Jim's going to take you to task for it as I'm 99.9% sure he was joking around in the same spirit that you were...
With all genuine respect, fella, you do have a history of taking comments on the board too personally on occasion. We're all friends here, right?
no arguments from me as I said,i was very happy from painkillers and I just thought the most unpleasantly unlikely thing that I would never have to do was the silly comment instead of eating my hat as I don't own one. ;)
Sorry. There's a throwaway gag in Wired World in Deadline (from about 100 years ago) that I was referring to. You may, of course, misinterpret whatever I type to your heart's content.
Jim
PS: Honestly... that was an attempt at humour. I apologise if my references were too obscure, or if I didn't explain very well.
Not a problem, I reiterate (which is a big word for me )
[/do not type and use the t'internet when a) drunk
or b) high as a kite on prescription ony painkillers b]
I will, whilst on holiday buy a hat for the sole purpose of eating it should the unthinkable happen and the new star wars be shite so theres no more misunderstandings... ;)
on a side note the painkillers and Tsingtao lager are a wonderful cocktail ,I may do some cartwheels later whilst my back believes it can....
http://www.space-mullet.com/2015/06/05/green-leader/
:'(
watching it again with that strip in mind ...wow.
It could be biggest spoilers!
Nice information about Stormtroopers.
Stormtrooper figure packaging confirms First Order are new on the scene in Episode 7 at SDCC
(http://i.imgur.com/ifEPWPj.jpg)
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 09 June, 2015, 10:45:47 PM
http://www.space-mullet.com/2015/06/05/green-leader/
:'(
That's just lovely. Fantastic attention to detail (e.g. the targeting computer).
I have a theory.....
Greedo the lime clad bounty hunter, who was shot by Han Solo either survived being shot or die and was revived by the gods and brought back as the pale clad musician featured in this song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z9XTeeA43o).
With this slight Gandalf reference, No offence is intended towards Han & Chewie.
Wondering if George lucas is interested in remaking Bambi.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 01 July, 2015, 07:23:55 AM
I have a theory.....
Greedo the lime clad bounty hunter, who was shot by Han Solo either survived being shot or die and was revived by the gods and brought back as the pale clad musician featured in this song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z9XTeeA43o).
With this slight Gandalf reference, No offence is intended towards Han & Chewie.
Wondering if George lucas is interested in remaking Bambi.
No offence intended toward
Gandalf either!
More on-screen Vader (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2015/07/07/darth-vader-will-menace-the-heroes-in-star-wars-anthology-rogue-one) and Solo (http://www.starwars.com/news/christopher-miller-and-phil-lord-to-helm-han-solo-anthology-film?linkId=15374280) to come.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 07 July, 2015, 10:03:25 PM
More on-screen Vader (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2015/07/07/darth-vader-will-menace-the-heroes-in-star-wars-anthology-rogue-one) and Solo (http://www.starwars.com/news/christopher-miller-and-phil-lord-to-helm-han-solo-anthology-film?linkId=15374280) to come.
tuck your shirt in
(http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/07/image003.jpg)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 07 July, 2015, 10:03:25 PMand Solo (http://www.starwars.com/news/christopher-miller-and-phil-lord-to-helm-han-solo-anthology-film?linkId=15374280) to come.
""We're so excited to be working with Chris (Miller) and Phil (Lord), who will bring a fresh new dimension to the Star Wars universe," said the Kasdans. "They're two of the smartest, funniest and most original filmmakers around"
Here here - utterly amazing news. Complete no brainer from Disney there Lord & Miller are hot shit atm - I've been a fan of 'em since way back in their Clone High days :D
Obviously it would depend on how old the character is supposed to be in this film, but I reckon Michiel Huisman (from Game of Thrones among other things) would be a good shout for a young(er) Han Solo.
I mean, he ain't Ford, no one is, but he's definitely got the rogueish charm thing down.
(http://www.much.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Michiel-Huisman-006-800x1199.jpg)
I'd go with that but he ain't that young - ! Huisman also played a relative of Ford in "Age of Adaline" - and playing the young harrison ford in that film was a chap called Anthony Ingruber....
(https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/597050534571282433/MwSr7Oaf.jpg)
:o
I've heard elsewhere that this film is going to be co-starring Boba Fett.
Much as I'm opposed to the notion of a Boba Fett spin-off movie (or a Han Solo one for that matter), the team-up film would pretty much write itself - Fett is tracking down Solo to collect the bounty on him - they both wind up in deep shit and have to forge a fragile alliance and work together to get out of it. Midnight Run in space.
I'd buy that...
Holy shit - the resemblance is strong in this one.
Not 100% convinced of his acting ability, but the vid's pretty old:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba_wPdLxp4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba_wPdLxp4)
Yeah that got him cast then :S Don't think he's strong enough to carry a whole film particularly but for the look alone he's fairly uncanny.
Don't look up the rest of his impressions - don't know if I've been spoiled by watching The Trip recently but they're quite shocking...
A little something from SDCC
COMIC CON REEL (https://youtu.be/oAsjdX2_ePA)
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 11 July, 2015, 03:46:08 AM
A little something from SDCC
COMIC CON REEL (https://youtu.be/oAsjdX2_ePA)
Love it!
I like how they keep pushing the "physical models" angle, like CGI was the only thing wrong with the prequels. I didn't even like the prequels but thought the CGI work was often the best thing going for them, so all this "look, we're using real sets and models" just seems like pandering to an entitled section of the fanbase - and slightly dishonest, too, as the Millenium Falcon footage in the teasers sure looks like CGI.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 11 July, 2015, 11:43:20 PM
I like how they keep pushing the "physical models" angle, like CGI was the only thing wrong with the prequels.
To be fair to them it's likely being used as a corporate euphemism; an easier way for them to say to the audience the George Lucas prequels are crap without literally saying the prequels are crap and these aren't those films.
Well, the eventual film itself might not end up being much cop, but I hereby give the marketing for it five stars.
It's a Star Wars sequel with Han, Luke and Leia in it. A monkey could market that.
I actually felt myself welling up watching that!
Wondeful-as a certain protocol droid may exclaim!
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 12 July, 2015, 12:32:19 PM
It's a Star Wars sequel with Han, Luke and Leia in it. A monkey could market that.
Or a mouse.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 12 July, 2015, 03:29:21 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 12 July, 2015, 12:32:19 PM
It's a Star Wars sequel with Han, Luke and Leia in it. A monkey could market that.
Or a mouse.
Even so, the marketing - from the trailers to the SDCC stunt, the Vanity Fair Annie Liebowitz shoot and this behind the scenes clip has all had a real touch of class.
I've gone from total ambivalence to being quite excited.
Time to build a new wing on the house... http://www.sideshowtoy.com/hot-toys-is-ready-to-make-the-kessel-run-with-an-18-foot-millennium-falcon/
damn. still only july :'( :'( :'( :-[ ::)
Quote from: Judge Olde on 29 July, 2015, 10:46:07 AM
damn. still only july :'( :'( :'( :-[ ::)
141 days to go.
http://starwarscountdownclock.com/
geeks
A series about how Han Solo (http://variety.com/2015/film/news/han-solo-spinoff-film-star-wars-phil-lord-chris-miller-1201535524/) became a smuggler is being considered.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 02 August, 2015, 05:00:23 PM
A series about how Han Solo (http://variety.com/2015/film/news/han-solo-spinoff-film-star-wars-phil-lord-chris-miller-1201535524/) became a smuggler is being considered.
Maybe they could set it when he was smuggling raisins on Hoth?
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 02 August, 2015, 05:00:23 PM
A series about how Han Solo (http://variety.com/2015/film/news/han-solo-spinoff-film-star-wars-phil-lord-chris-miller-1201535524/) became a smuggler is being considered.
If I wasn't as old as I am mow, I'd been trying to get in to contact with their casting department right now for the role of young
Han himself and did you know I was once ticketed for speeding in a Ford
Falcon on
Kessel road near the city.
Seriously, I always thought one of the kid actors from
Home Improvement was a dead ringer for a younger
Harrison Ford. A lot closer in likeness than I thought the late
River Phoenix was.
(http://www.eonline.com/eol_images/Entire_Site/2013113/reg_600.jtt.cm.21313.jpg)(http://sold.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/giphy2.gif)
I believe, his name is
Johnathan Taylor Thomas who, by virtue of his grin bears a remarkable similarity to
Indiana Solo and the rest of face just slides into place.
Except, I think this guy from
Breaking Bad is the current favourite.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRsNWOhuP6viKwUReobeTxwXaPqB6dKSSszMWcCk-YuzKDN5Ta9)
I just don't see it there. Even though, a large part of imitation is just being a convincing actor.
Yeah, facial resemblance is the smallest part of it really - look at DeForrest Kelley and Our Karl as Dr McCoy (or even Our Karl and Old Stoney Face). Not a hint of resemblance, and yet a perfect fit.
That said, your John Thomas looks the part!
What?
For Rogue One, classic Stormtroopers are back!
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CL9EazOW8AAb3je.jpg:large)
Korean TV Spot that shows a fraction more!
KOREAN TV SPOT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-VTdsCKLgg)
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 10 August, 2015, 03:35:08 PM
Korean TV Spot that shows a fraction more!
KOREAN TV SPOT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-VTdsCKLgg)
The first shot I didn't recognise, but everything else seemed like it had come from the two existing trailers.
Seems "Clan Techie" has graduated to General.
(https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/55c8b1216bb3f7b35118d215-1920-776/the%20force%20awakens%20first%20order.jpg)
Ooh check out the Walkers at right!
Obviously that shot is completely shit 'cos it's mostly CGI. That's how it works, right?
That shot is shit. CGI sucks.
Quote from: TotalHack on 10 August, 2015, 08:01:52 PM
Obviously that shot is completely shit 'cos it's mostly CGI. That's how it works, right?
This time the CGI is Practical.
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 10 August, 2015, 05:40:19 PM
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 10 August, 2015, 03:35:08 PM
Korean TV Spot that shows a fraction more!
KOREAN TV SPOT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-VTdsCKLgg)
The first shot I didn't recognise, but everything else seemed like it had come from the two existing trailers.
That's the fraction :D
~Is that Voltan there? If so, excitement circuits engaged!
The thing about that shot (and the reverse view we've already seen) is how it still completely misses the point of warfare on a galactic scale... That (oooh, ahhh, look at how many baddies there are!) assembly represents a decent force for invading a small-middling country, but not a well-populated planet, never mind a galaxy full of worlds. Much like the 3 million-strong clone army of the prequels: what's that, 300 soldiers for each of just 10,000 inhabited systems? In short, despite being overblown, if it's meant to impress, it doesn't.
'Course if it's meant to represent a small Garrison, I'll eat my words.
Ignore the preceding drivel. A symptom of the dread that this film inspires in my fannish heart as the days grow shorter...
Nah you aren't far off Tordel. A legion (6000 in Roman times) of stormtroopers with their paraphernalia of walkers, speederbikes etc was beaten by a bunch of glorified glove puppets on Endor. So the serried ranks we see in that photo would be fit to take out a few snow hares (judging by the climate) unless the Empire has put in some serious training in the mean time. Z
It's why they built Death Stars.
(http://38.media.tumblr.com/edca98d992d7180e746e6b85738d655c/tumblr_nsvb90We7C1rlheeoo1_540.gif)
(http://38.media.tumblr.com/466884753b6de98c1a763e901b00b350/tumblr_nsvb90We7C1rlheeoo2_r1_540.gif)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 August, 2015, 10:15:55 PM
It's why they built Death Stars.
Which really
were impressive, even on a galactic scale - you could well imagine the threat of a pair of Deathticles cowing any world. Even if they were a bit shit in practice, and not even the CGI variety.
EDIT: Nice giffery, Goaty. But you just know they're turning to look at something shit.
Oh! It appears I have settled into a particular mindset for the next 129 days.
Hey Tordels - I wonder if my PMs are getting through to you after I changed my name?
I suppose the number of troops depends on the function. I was suprised to learn that Carnaerfon Castle (despite how big and impressive looking it all was; oh, and defence in depth at the gates*) only had a garrison of around 28 people for most of its life.
* except for that time they forgot to build the actual proper front wall and gates. So you could overthrow it just by coming to the market with your swords hidden.
** Oh FFS. I've been sucked into a fucking Star Wars thread. I swore I wouldn't...
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 11 August, 2015, 12:47:04 PM
** Oh FFS. I've been sucked into a fucking Star Wars thread. I swore I wouldn't...
No backing out now.
Why not make yourself comfortable? https://youtu.be/J5eUfC2zTbs
Yes Tip, in a sense it is down to the operational mandate. Defending a strong point is initially cost high in the sense you have to build the strong point after that a few men can generally garrison it. If it comes to a war situation, the garrison would be augmented.
In terms of invading areas you would generally need more personnel and resources brought to bear than the enemy has. For instance the consensus is 2 - 1 in terms of attacking a fortified or defended position.
I have no framework reference for what the force requirements are which entail the amount of personnel and material set out in the posted pictures....but sure isn't most of the fun in the suppositions and banter. Z
PM'd ya, Sharky.
You should all be very proud of me. I just went to estimate the actual number of troops on that parade ground by multiplying up from a single square formation, and then stopped myself and talked to my family for a bit instead. It's the little victories.
As to Caernarfon, yeah, I often tell my workmate to 'hold the fort' while I go to a meeting, and she does it well, but I doubt 'invade a country' would elicit the same success.
To be fair, most planetary invasion strategies in Star Wars have to factor in the presence of wizards.
But Palpatine's strategy involved no wizardry: He conquered the known galaxy and his tactics involved little more than misdirection, misinformation and manipulation. The use of wizardry was kept solely to recruit his inheritor. Z
Palpatine was a wizard.
Well put. But someone without the taint of. wizardry could accomplish the gross aim of total domination equally well . A Tarkin with less arrogance and a modicum more subtlety. Z
The Star Wars galaxy is full of people like that, but no-one else did what Palpatine did*. Palpatine only managed it because he is a wizard and had help from other wizards - but I admire any Star Wars fan who will try to argue that it's totally hard science.
* Although I am sure there's some spin-off novel or game featuring a character who ruled the galaxy a million years before the original movie trilogy or something, and who is undone by a band of plucky rogues led by Gaynak Starstorm.
One of my favourite lines in Star Wars is General Dodonna's observation that the Death Star '...carries a firepower greater than half the Imperial starfleet'. If we assume that this is a combo of the superlaser, conventional capital ship turbolaser turrets and its (hopeless) point defense, this means the Starfleet is utterly enormous. The sheer number of turbolasers covering the surface of a small moon PLUS a superweapon capable of effortlessly destroying a planet with one shot.(something like 10^30 joules, I believe).. Divide that firepower by the gunnery output of a Star Destroyer and you're surely looking at in the order of 100s of 1000s of warships.
Which is what you would probably need to dominate a galaxy of 10s of 1000s of inhabited worlds , at least prior to wheeling out two battleststions that together (neatly) exceed that power.
I've always felt that SW throws out these crazy numbers - a city-covered planet, 1,000 generations of the Jedi Order, a starfleet with almost twice the firepower required to blow up ( not just shatter) a planet - but never really explores what they mean in practice.
Presumably because, as the Bear alludes, it is space fantasy, not SF.
This is a galaxy united by almost countless generations of republican democracy. The Jedi seem adjunctive to this overweening fact. The Sith seem at best less than impactive on this general course of events, other than the fact that they and the Jedi appear to have ideological differences in relation to how nice or not so nice they should be to their neighbours and what colour their shiney laser swords should be. The course of the galaxies future is determined by Mon Mothma and her alliance defeating a materially stronger force (no pun) aided by the aforesaid said glove puppets. Z
The Galactic Republic is constantly being saved from its own stupidity by the league of wizards, and when the league of wizards is destroyed, so is the Galactic Republic. The Rebellion couldn't get the Death Star plans without the help of a wizard, and when Luke destroyed the Death Star, he did so by praying to the ghost of a wizard.
I don't say these things to be facetious, I genuinely think this is never going to hold up as hard science and was never meant to, but if you need it to be science, just say the wizards aren't really wizards because they get their powers from science via Midochlorians. I'm happy for it to be magic, though, as I don't want a hard science action adventure set in a distant galaxy (well, okay, I do, but I want that as well as Star Wars), I want lasers and swordfights - that stuff is fun.
The Bear is correct in every particular.
Were I the leader of the Galaxy the second or third point on my how to make the Universe a better place would be to expatriate the manipulative random variables such as the Jedi/Sith. For heavens sake we go to the bother of setting up seacret bases. Creating intra planetary alliances wherefore we get trained personnel and offensive resources. We obtain plans for a materialistically created enemy space station. Go to the bother of utilising a network of agents to return said information and one addled old failure warlock and a simple bumpkin happen upon it and in the process of returning it alert the enemy to our presence and worse, lead them to us. Thank the Republic that a crippled, half robot Imperial flight leader hadn't the wit to make a shot on the indecisive village idiot before his trigger finger slipped and he got off a lucky shot. Note to self: tighten up on this slacking in future. Z
Quote from: TotalHack on 11 August, 2015, 10:31:02 PM
I've always felt that SW throws out these crazy numbers - a city-covered planet, 1,000 generations of the Jedi Order, a starfleet with almost twice the firepower required to blow up ( not just shatter) a planet - but never really explores what they mean in practice.
Unlike, say, the demographics of Mega City One, which can stand up to the most rigorous analysis, there seems to have been very little effort made to ground the Star Wars Universe in hard science.
Quote from: TotalHack on 11 August, 2015, 10:31:02 PMI've always felt that SW throws out these crazy numbers - a city-covered planet, 1,000 generations of the Jedi Order, a starfleet with almost twice the firepower required to blow up ( not just shatter) a planet - but never really explores what they mean in practice.
File under dropped prequel themes along with
taxation of trade-routes and
The Lost Twenty.
Well, I don't mean explored through science (as noted at the end of the quoted post), more through story: the galaxy-far-far-away is supposedly vast (to hear characters talk about it), but we seldom get a sense of that in the action.
e.g. Tatooine is on the Outer Rim, metaphorically/poetically furthest from the 'bright centre of the universe', but it appears to be a short hop through hyperspace from Alderaan a planet that would be central enough to 'make an effective demonstration'. The famous Droid Factories of Geonosis, a pivotal location in the Clone Wars, scene of at least two major planetary invasions where 200 Jedi met their deaths, is apparently right next door. And everywhere is a quick run to Coruscant. Barely time to sample the in-flight meal.
e.g. Said Coruscant is completely covered in an endless Trantor-like city, suggesting a population of 100s of billions, maybe a trillion on that one central world of a Republic of 10s of 1000s of worlds, but just 3 million clone troopers represents a 'Grand Army of the Republic'. Napoleonic France alone had a fifth of that number in its Grande Armee, out of a population of just 30 million: and it didn't make them in a vat either (they also didn't have 10,000 wizards to lead them).
In fact, everything plays out on much the same scale as the single-planet action we're used to. Which seems a bit of a shame.
And contradicting all my negativity, here's a great detailed look at that parade ground: BEWARE SPOILERS http://makingstarwars.net/2015/08/a-closer-look-at-the-parade-grounds-shot-from-star-wars-the-force-awakens/
From that zoomed-in consideration, it's actually an insanely dense image, with a remarkably natural-looking amount of variation in the ranks.
Quote from: TotalHack on 11 August, 2015, 10:31:02 PM(something like 10^30 joules, I believe)
Now I would be the last person on Earth to pick on another person's nerdiness, but dude, you're tempting me here....
Quote from: TotalHack on 12 August, 2015, 12:15:18 AMe.g. Tatooine is on the Outer Rim, metaphorically/poetically furthest from the 'bright centre of the universe', but it appears to be a short hop through hyperspace from Alderaan a planet that would be central enough to 'make an effective demonstration'.
Rather than the distance and whatever hyperdrive assisted travel really means, the problem was they just couldn't stay away from the place - it's a location that should only be seen in Ep.IV.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 12 August, 2015, 12:50:50 AM
Other than the distance and whatever hyperdrive assisted travel really means, the problem was they just couldn't stay away from the place - it's a location that should only be seen in Ep.IV.
Indeed. It's in 6 out of 7 films (if you count the TCW theatrical thingie). When L'il Ani asks Qui-Gon if anyone has ever been to every planet in the galaxy, I always want to amend Qui-Gon's response: 'Not likely! Everyone mostly hangs out here all the time".
This is all very fascinating but I wonder how exciting the Star Wars films would be if they'd been written by, say, Arthur C. Clark. "Death Star will be in range in sixteen years..."
Quote from: TotalHack on 12 August, 2015, 12:15:18 AM
In fact, everything plays out on much the same scale as the single-planet action we're used to. Which seems a bit of a shame.
Is it even 'planetary' in scale?
For me, it's not the numbers or the relative proximity of the planets that make the SW universe feel small but the lack of cultural diversity.
Rarely do the characters find themselves in a place that seems alien or even significantly culturally different to what they're used to.
Compere this to things like Sinbad, The Odyssey or even Gulliver's Travels.
I'd love to see the heroes land on a planet, or in a society, that does their fucking heads in.
Quote from: JamesC on 12 August, 2015, 11:51:24 AM
I'd love to see the heroes land on a planet, or in a society, that does their fucking heads in.
Didn't the Ewoks do their heads in? Or at least Han Solo's.
Quote from: TotalHack on 12 August, 2015, 12:15:18 AM
e.g. Tatooine is on the Outer Rim, metaphorically/poetically furthest from the 'bright centre of the universe', but it appears to be a short hop through hyperspace from Alderaan a planet that would be central enough to 'make an effective demonstration'.
I don't want to seem like I'm picking on you here or come across like I've ever spent too much time thinking about this. But.
I think I've always assumed the hyperspace jumps in Star Wars took days or even weeks of boring downtime which we were spared for the sake of the story. Fair enough, that doesn't excuse the reuse of bloody Tatooine but it does spread things out somewhat.
I even used to worry about how long Luke had to hold in a dump in his X-Wing.
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2015, 12:22:06 PM
I think I've always assumed the hyperspace jumps in Star Wars took days or even weeks of boring downtime which we were spared for the sake of the story.
Except that time really makes
no sense in Revenge of Sith, with people popping up all round the galaxy with intervals of hours, days, whatever, seemingly as the plot required. I've not sat down and attempted to nail down a timeline for the movie, because I just don't care enough, but I'm always inclined to skate over plot holes in almost any movie and I remember thinking
'Hmm...' on several occasions.
Cheers
Jim
Of Babylon 5, someone once asked JMS how fast starships could travel in hyperspace. His answer, which I think is applicable here, is that they "travel at the speed of plot."
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 12 August, 2015, 12:33:26 PM
Except that time really makes no sense in Revenge of Sith, with people popping up all round the galaxy with intervals of hours, days, whatever, seemingly as the plot required. I've not sat down and attempted to nail down a timeline for the movie, because I just don't care enough, but I'm always inclined to skate over plot holes in almost any movie and I remember thinking 'Hmm...' on several occasions
Fair enough. I don't really remember much about Sith and was thinking more of the journey to Alderaan or the stuff about meeting at the rendezvous point after the evacuation of Hoth.
"As the plot required" is usually good enough though.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 12 August, 2015, 12:33:26 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 12 August, 2015, 12:22:06 PM
I think I've always assumed the hyperspace jumps in Star Wars took days or even weeks of boring downtime which we were spared for the sake of the story.
Except that time really makes no sense in Revenge of Sith, with people popping up all round the galaxy with intervals of hours, days, whatever, seemingly as the plot required. I've not sat down and attempted to nail down a timeline for the movie, because I just don't care enough....
IIRC the official timeline has it at 2 or 3 days start to finish, which is absurd.
Completely agree Cosh, my 'head canon' has always padded the interstellar journeys out to daysor even months, not least to give Luke a bit more time with Ben and Yoda. The Prequels put a lot of strain on this fan practice, where the Geonosis scenes run concurrently with Anakin and Padme going from Tatooine to Geonosis, and Yoda going from Coruscant to Kamino to Geonosis. Hard to fit too many days travel in there...
The new warp speed in the Star Trek reboots annoys me in similar fashion. Travelling at many times the speed of light was just not good enough for them so it became almost instantaneous. Eight minutes to Vulcan, my arse!
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 12 August, 2015, 03:49:39 PM
The new warp speed in the Star Trek reboots annoys me in similar fashion. Travelling at many times the speed of light was just not good enough for them so it became almost instantaneous. Eight minutes to Vulcan, my arse!
One among many grievances I have with Abrams Trek.
I loved Abrams Trek. Unfortunately it kept going and the novelty of Kirk avenging a dead dad wore off a bit.
Reminding you that Youtube is not just a place on the web where you go to post messages that prove you are a stupid cunt*, someone has combined footage of the Death Star sequence with an audio recording of the audience reaction from 1977. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRveOGMflo)
* I come here for that.
What about latest Battlestar Galactica's jump points?
Quote from: Goaty on 12 August, 2015, 05:53:03 PM
What about latest Battlestar Galactica's jump points?
1123.6536.5321
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 12 August, 2015, 05:11:24 PM
I loved Abrams Trek. Unfortunately it kept going and the novelty of Kirk avenging a dead dad wore off a bit.
Reminding you that Youtube is not just a place on the web where you go to post messages that prove you are a stupid cunt*, someone has combined footage of the Death Star sequence with an audio recording of the audience reaction from 1977. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRveOGMflo)
* I come here for that.
Yes. That's about how it sounded to me as a kid then. Lots of clapping and cheering.
On another point. Watching the clip makes me realise that poor marksmanship was endemic throughout the Empire. Vader was a poor shot and he's supposed to be the best.
The trait isn't hereditary though it seems. ;)
The Bothans must have put a virus into weapon targeting systems and HUD's! Z
Clearly Siths can't use the Force for aiming purposes.
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Finn-and-Rey.jpg)
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Finn.jpg)
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Rey.jpg)
(http://i0.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Poe-Dameron.jpg?resize=366%2C488)
(http://i1.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Hux.jpg?resize=366%2C488)
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Phasma.jpg)
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Kylo-Ren-and-Stormtroopers.jpg)
(http://i0.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Kylo-Ren.jpg?resize=366%2C488)
(http://i0.wp.com/www.slashfilm.com/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-R2D2-and-C3PO.jpg?resize=366%2C488)
(http://i2.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/Star-Wars-The-Force-Awakens-Rey.jpg)
(http://www.soccergarage.com/images/T/bnmbrp.jpg)
Quote from: Goaty on 12 August, 2015, 05:53:03 PM
What about latest Battlestar Galactica's jump points?
But Galactica's technology was different, right...? They explain that they bent space so they could travel instantaneously to another point. Mapping out the coordinates to that point was the tricky bit but it didn't seem like there was much limit on how far they could travel once they knew how to map it.
Maybe the distance /time deal is foreshortened by the amount of good wizardry in the Universe. During the clone wars more good wizards were alive, hence faster journey time. When the good wizards died there was a commensurate decreare in journey times? Z
Apologies as ever for the fucking autocheck!!!! Z
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 12 August, 2015, 03:49:39 PM
The new warp speed in the Star Trek reboots annoys me in similar fashion. Travelling at many times the speed of light was just not good enough for them so it became almost instantaneous. Eight minutes to Vulcan, my arse!
Never mind that, why does anyone in NuTrek bother with starships at all? Just pop in Scotty's magic transporter and *bamf* there you are.
Quote from: TotalHack on 13 August, 2015, 12:25:06 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 12 August, 2015, 03:49:39 PM
The new warp speed in the Star Trek reboots annoys me in similar fashion. Travelling at many times the speed of light was just not good enough for them so it became almost instantaneous. Eight minutes to Vulcan, my arse!
Never mind that, why does anyone in NuTrek bother with starships at all? Just pop in Scotty's magic transporter and *bamf* there you are.
Aye but there's the rub. With Scotty's magic teleporter established in the first movie, Starships would
only be useful for exploration (if the writers bothered to properly follow it up). You wouldn't plug in random coordinates on a random planet quadrillions of miles away and hope you beam in somewhere safe. You send send a starship out to case the joint first. Right there, is a fantastic reason to push the Enterprise's explorational mandate.
See, Star Trek always had sciencieness. Sometimes it went a wee bit more Fi than Sci, but it always had consisent rules*.
The Trek Science would inform the plot. Abrams got that arseways.
*within in the confines of precisely one episode or movie.
(http://www.starwars7news.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Luke_0001.jpg)
Source (http://www.starwars7news.com/2015/08/exclusive-first-look-at-luke-skywalker-from-the-froce-awakens.html)
Ooh, a felt a little tingle! Maybe hope still lives somewhere my battered cynical heart.
You'd think lightsabres would have a 'depillate' setting. Or that someone in LFL could redesign the Jedi bathrobe after all this time.
Quote from: TotalHack on 14 August, 2015, 09:35:47 AM
Ooh, a felt a little tingle!
For fecks sake, I felt a tingle for Sky's new Star Wars advert!
I have no hope of removing this particular nerd heart from my sleeve. :D
Quote from: TotalHack on 14 August, 2015, 09:35:47 AM
You'd think lightsabres would have a 'depillate' setting. Or that someone in LFL could redesign the Jedi bathrobe after all this time.
Another balls-up to lay at the door of the prequels.
Not only are those flowing robes the least practical attire for acrobatic fighting with laser swords, it made absolutely no sense for the Jedi uniform to be exactly what Obi Wan wore in Star Wars. He was
in hiding and had gone as far as to change his name (a bit), and yet he continued to wear his Jedi robes?
At that point, we had never seen an active Jedi, so the uniform for the prequels could have been ANYTHING. I would have prefered something akin to Luke's super cool black outfit from ROTJ, but no, we're stuck with flannel robes ffs.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 14 August, 2015, 11:44:54 AM
Quote from: TotalHack on 14 August, 2015, 09:35:47 AM
You'd think lightsabres would have a 'depillate' setting. Or that someone in LFL could redesign the Jedi bathrobe after all this time.
Another balls-up to lay at the door of the prequels.
Not only are those flowing robes the least practical attire for acrobatic fighting with laser swords, it made absolutely no sense for the Jedi uniform to be exactly what Obi Wan wore in Star Wars. He was in hiding and had gone as far as to change his name (a bit), and yet he continued to wear his Jedi robes?
At that point, we had never seen an active Jedi, so the uniform for the prequels could have been ANYTHING. I would have prefered something akin to Luke's super cool black outfit from ROTJ, but no, we're stuck with flannel robes ffs.
^^^Exactly this - it's always pissed me off!
It's never pissed me off.
BECAUSE WIZARDS ARE SUPPOSED TO WEAR ROBES.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 14 August, 2015, 11:44:54 AM
Not only are those flowing robes the least practical attire for acrobatic fighting with laser swords, it made absolutely no sense for the Jedi uniform to be exactly what Obi Wan wore in Star Wars. He was in hiding and had gone as far as to change his name (a bit), and yet he continued to wear his Jedi robes?
At that point, we had never seen an active Jedi, so the uniform for the prequels could have been ANYTHING. I would have prefered something akin to Luke's super cool black outfit from ROTJ, but no, we're stuck with flannel robes ffs.
I thought that for awhile and read a few articles online that agreed. Old Ben's Desert robes - similar to the Sand people and the Jawas and Luke's baggy look - somehow turned out to be the hippy Jedi get up.
Ah well, just another way the idea that there was a plan, a vision or even an overall story arch behind the whole thing was slowly eroded to reveal smoke & mirrors and luck in capturing the zeitgeist at the time.
Dunk! - still first in line opening day i.e. 12:01am
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 14 August, 2015, 12:04:26 PM
It's never pissed me off.
BECAUSE WIZARDS ARE SUPPOSED TO WEAR ROBES.
If they were nice midnight blue ones with yellow moons and stars on them I wouldn't mind. As it is they look like a crusty dressing gown.
They already live in space, though, so if they wore pictures of space they'd look silly.
:lol:
+++Slight spoilers?+++
Early release of figures reveal nothing new...well except a blurred image of Constable Z?(something) who I've heard/seen nothing of till now.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/13/walmart-breaks-embargo-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens-kylo-ren/ (http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/13/walmart-breaks-embargo-for-star-wars-the-force-awakens-kylo-ren/)
Dunk!
Quote from: Spaceghost on 14 August, 2015, 11:44:54 AMAnother balls-up to lay at the door of the prequels.
Not only are those flowing robes the least practical attire for acrobatic fighting with laser swords, it made absolutely no sense for the Jedi uniform to be exactly what Obi Wan wore in Star Wars. He was in hiding and had gone as far as to change his name (a bit), and yet he continued to wear his Jedi robes?
At that point, we had never seen an active Jedi, so the uniform for the prequels could have been ANYTHING. I would have prefered something akin to Luke's super cool black outfit from ROTJ, but no, we're stuck with flannel robes ffs.
Seemed to be the natural or common attire on
Tattoine so he was hiding among other full-time bathrobe wearers:
(https://41.media.tumblr.com/ed9a9fd33faf061ba17b24b3c661265a/tumblr_nlyn79PhPG1qc823io1_500.jpg)
Well at least the expanded.universe.nonsense is gone. Z
It's expanding in other ways.
Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill haven't put on that much weight.
True. Z
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 14 August, 2015, 07:59:19 PM
Seemed to be the natural or common attire on Tattoine so he was hiding among other full-time bathrobe wearers:
Sure, but the argument is that that's why he was wearing the dressing gown and robes when we met him - not because it was the garb of a Jedi. But you know that, we've been here before.
Blaming the Prequels isn't entirely fair, because it was RotJ that showed us Old Anakin in matching clobber, suggesting it was Jedi high fashion in the days of the Republic. The TPM concept art books show some great mooted redesigns, lots of feathery bits, flared shoulders and tight trousers (my fave addition is massive peace-pipe as a badge of office), but in the end recognisable mediocrity triumphed.
As it appears is the case with TFA, where the overriding design brief seems to be 'make it exactly like that stuff the nerds like, but a bit shinier'. Abrams has form in this regard...
Quote from: TotalHack on 14 August, 2015, 08:29:50 PMSure, but the argument is that that's why he was wearing the dressing gown and robes when we met him - not because it was the garb of a Jedi.
Everyone was just cosplaying Jedi at that stage.
I can see Jedi adopting the 'everyman' clothes of the humble moisture-farmer as part of their vow of poverty or whatever it is they do to themselves - well they are a
Fremen rip-off after all.
Quote from: TotalHack on 14 August, 2015, 08:29:50 PMAs it appears is the case with TFA, where the overriding design brief seems to be 'make it exactly like that stuff the nerds like, but a bit shinier'. Abrams has form in this regard...
I can't wait to see your gushing youtube response -
Chewie, we're home :'(
And Yoda was wearing them, in Empire Strikes Back.
Or maybe that was just a coincidence, and Dagobahgonians also wear the style.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 14 August, 2015, 08:48:03 PM... well they are a Fremen rip-off after all.
Nah, I wouldn't go as far with the redesign as to make them topless and covered with slogans.
Seemingly everyone who matterd in the galaxy was wearing chunk knit pseuo weave..oh and a beard. Z
Just thought I'd say Luke looks ace. Go Hamill! Yes indeed.
Still massively excited for this. Still not seen anything to put me off.
(But, still, please don't kill Han)
Thanks very much, please carry on........
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 14 August, 2015, 01:54:31 PM
They already live in space, though, so if they wore pictures of space they'd look silly.
It's camoflage :D
(http://i.imgur.com/y4pCHqE.jpg?3)(http://i.imgur.com/Q9k7UC2.jpg?4)
The dude.
Wow! Some of pages moaning about robes!
Quote from: Goaty on 14 August, 2015, 10:01:18 PM
Wow! Some of pages moaning about robes!
I think of it as 'managing expectations'.
Come on now, it's going to be great! Trust to hope sir. :)
That first Star Trek reboot was a great homage to Trek, so I at least have faith that JJA will make a fabulous-looking bit of fan-wankery. He can only take our money and our time, never our memories.
I'd be more concerned about that Han Solo film.
Unlike Lucas with Eps 1-3, Disney need this film to tick boxes.
They paid a feck-ton of cash to build an entertainment behemoth. It was already big, but Disney are going franchise big: theme parks, spin offs, the lot.
If this film is bad, then it will (further) dis-enfranchise the 35-50 year old hard core fans who have supported the brand, and fail to create the new generation of hard core fans in the 8-15 age bracket that are wanted to keep the cash rolling in.
You don't pay billions for a brand that has a 20 year life.
Therefore, I am confident that this film will be as good as it can be. Maybe not what you or I want, exactly, but it is a bridge from the old to the new and - from a business point of view - simply must be something to rave about.
All this is true, and I have no doubt that buckets of thought, talent and money have been poured into this project. If not the whole moisture farm, Disney have certainly bet all the vaporators on the south range. Remember that they paid USD 4 billion for LFL, and that's roughly the (unadjusted) box office for all 6 previous films - obviously there's multiple shedloads more cash tied up in merchandising, but it's still a scary number to swallow before they ever knitted a bathrobe, shot a non-digital frame or 'persuaded' the National Monuments Service. My problem (apart from the looming sacrifice of my childhood heroes at the altar of this hefty overdraft) is that everything I've seen so far indicates a slavish polishing of that oh-so expensive IP - as the Bear says, a highly skilled homage to familiar iconography, everything they paid for lovingly displayed in a shiny case.
With the exception of BB8, itself a re-working, I don't yet see a single visual that is both fresh and exciting - and the stuff that is sort-of new is just plain dull (have you seen the design for the Rebel Resistance trooper?). We already have 3 perfectly fine films with the Falcon, X-Wings, TIE Fighters, desert planets and masked red-lightsabre dudes. Show me something new that is also still Star Wars - that's the trick I'm still not seeing. In avoiding risk to their colossal investment, I fear they're avoiding excitement.
That the plot appears (possibly coincidentally, or inevitably) to be a close re-working of one of the major threads of the later EU only adds to the sense of over-familiarity.
But I've said exactly this a half-dozen times in this very thread. I'm the boring bit in this equation!
(Okay, I admit it: I'm just grumpy because of the lack of articulation in all those gorgeous new 3 3/4" figures).
Quick addendum: I do accept that info and images released/leaked to date are very carefully managed, and may deliberately conceal the new and surprising as long as possible. Others more spoiler-invested than myself indicate that all the toys and most of the snippets seen so far come from the first two acts of the film, or use generic masked and unnamed characters. So my sense of over-familiarity may be deliberately instilled, to both reassure and wrong-foot. I do hope however that any elaborate 'John Harrison' shenanigans turn out better than they did in ST:ID.
TH seems to have a direct line to the Disney front offices I think. Yes, protect the investment, don't stray too far from formula, keep the dollarpounds flowing.
This is a formula for a simply meh film if I ever heard one.
This is what could keep us up at nights.
Quote from: Big_Dave on 14 August, 2015, 09:43:45 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/y4pCHqE.jpg?3)(http://i.imgur.com/Q9k7UC2.jpg?4)
Agreed....after my
Gandalf cosplay late last year/early this year.....
(http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp64/CLICKYMAN/CLICKYMAN065/40535b69-376b-472e-8268-ae9bc0d1aade_zps614645c6.jpg)
That was most uncomfortable, and might require a lots of special marital arts training to condition myself. Not the best get up for fighting in in my opinion. Yet, like I indicated, they must spend years training in their get ups. Until their clothing don't matter at all.
Otherwise, I would have them all wearing this.....
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/05/12/article-1386471-0C07931400000578-110_306x423.jpg)
Imagine that.......try not to imagine me in that, because I won't be.
The Rogue One cast.
(http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/star-wars-rogue-one-movie-image.jpg)
Drew Struzan's back from retired and create this teaser poster.
Check who got the lightsaber? Curious...
(http://i.imgur.com/MPHwMwB.jpg)
Colin Trevorow is set to direct Episode 9. Hmm. Jurassic World was bobbins. :|
But it made money. The priority is money, these are event films.
Jovus, there are some miserable, cynical bastards on this thread... and that's *me* saying that..!
Present and correct, yer lordship! I'm just trying to talk myself into being pleasantly surprised.
Nice to see some new Drew, but the content is doing very little for me - some cranky looking folk, a painfully generic baddie design and a geriatric Han Solo looming over yet another bloody vaporator? The only excitement there is Finn wielding Anakin's lightsabre. Didn't see that one coming (unless it's an elaborate piece of Abrams misdirection with Struzan to give it instant credibility).
Spoilertown is really warming up, may need to put the blinkers on soo .
Rogue One, despite having all the same flaws that I project onto TFA, seems more promising. Although if the plot outline is correct, I need to point out that it was me who recovered the Death Star plans, on at least two occasions.
Some of the tie-in Lego sets revealed, I really like the X-Wing.
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2015/08/16/star-wars-the-force-awakens-lego-sets/
Hmm, the new cockpit canopy piece on the X-Wing is sexy, but it's the Imperial landing craft I really like - although don't squint too closely at the pic, interesting spoilers there.
Ep. VII's Vader cypher Kylo Ren seems to be the 'face' of this film - he's featured on just about every piece of marketing and merchandise.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 August, 2015, 11:38:26 PM
Ep. VII's Vader cypher Kylo Ren seems to be the 'face' of this film - he's featured on just about every piece of marketing and merchandise.
Yeah, I noticed that.
I think it was the same with Darth Maul for The Phantom Menace.
Quote from: Goaty on 15 August, 2015, 10:46:26 PM
Drew Struzan's back from retired and create this teaser poster.
Check who got the lightsaber? Curious...
(http://i.imgur.com/MPHwMwB.jpg)
The guy with a light sabre. I assume he was a cloned trooper or wearing one of their suits after knocking one out. (Just like the first/fourth film.) If a cloned trooper, which I now seriously doubt. I wonder if cloning
Jedi ever happens. (I now realise this might have become a fashionable topic back in the days during the filming of the first trilogy or even earlier....)
If it does, then I think it might be wrong to think
Midichlorians would work if it's more a spiritual thing than biological and at that I always though the revelation about
Jedi having this was never a good idea. I prefer
Jedi powers to have more to do with the spirits of dead
Jedi moving things around invisibly which could lead to another conundrum about how hard it must have been for the very first
Jedi!!!!
So, that dude with a
Lightstick who was also seen wearing the armour of
Storm-Trooper in the very first teaser.
Reminds me of what might happened to
Ragnar's Vikings that raided
Italian monastery from one of the early episodes of in that series and instead of being caught unprepared, they leap out of their holy-cloaks revealing themselves to be the
Celtic - Fianna or even the
Red Branch Knights lead by
Slaine himself.
I find this my last paragraph very relevant here. Because, I learnt that
George Lucas got ideas for
Star Wars from
Akira Kurosawa's - Seven Samurai, and other history local and old world and perhaps he even sourced
2000AD Magazine, himself.
Meanwhile,
Han Solo probably thinks he's hiding by crouching like that and
Chewie can't be seen at all and he's much taller. Just the like those
Jurassic Park - Raptors (Which weren't really...) hunting in pairs and dispatching the hunter after one of them caught him while he was aiming for the other.
Clever Girl![/b]
The ominous looking guy in dark armour (I originally said bad guy, but deleted that , because I just don't know that yet!) with the special cross guard sabre should keep his armour on or else we'd really notice he's that funny looking dude from that series about Girls. Otherwise, the most mysterious and cool character yet.
Aside from venerable Solo.
BTW, I like the girl and want to see more of her!
Quote from: Link Prime on 16 August, 2015, 11:46:43 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 August, 2015, 11:38:26 PM
Ep. VII's Vader cypher Kylo Ren seems to be the 'face' of this film - he's featured on just about every piece of marketing and merchandise.
Yeah, I noticed that.
I think it was the same with Darth Maul for The Phantom Menace.
And Yoda (IIRC) for AoTC, Vader for RotS and Captain Rex for TCW. I suspect Ren may have longer to run than (live action) Maul, given who it seems likely he is and what he may do in TFA, but there's almost certainly a Bigger Bad (please don't let it be Luke!)awaiting a reveal, so he may be another done-in-one villain.
The black and orange X-Wing looks similar to the concept toy Kenner had planned for its post Return of the Jedi storyline.
(http://doomkick.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/startoys2.jpg)
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 17 August, 2015, 01:16:39 AM
I find this my last paragraph very relevant here. Because, I learnt that George Lucas got ideas for Star Wars from Akira Kurosawa's - Seven Samurai, and other history local and old world and perhaps he even sourced 2000AD Magazine, himself.
Didn't really mean to make it sound like he was ripping anything off. It should read that more like he was he was inspired by those other works.
BTW, I rented some
Pixar styled film last night about
Elves, Goblins, Faires and
Cockroaches and guess who was credited behind this one?
George Lucas!!!!
"The guy with a light sabre. I assume he was a cloned trooper or wearing one of their suits after knocking one out."
Heh.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 17 August, 2015, 01:16:39 AM
Because, I learnt that George Lucas got ideas for Star Wars from Akira Kurosawa's - Seven Samurai, and other history local and old world and perhaps he even sourced 2000AD Magazine, himself.
I think it was Kurosawa's
The Hidden Fortress, not
Seven Samurai.
Quote from: ming on 17 August, 2015, 09:27:34 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 17 August, 2015, 01:16:39 AM
Because, I learnt that George Lucas got ideas for Star Wars from Akira Kurosawa's - Seven Samurai, and other history local and old world and perhaps he even sourced 2000AD Magazine, himself.
I think it was Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress, not Seven Samurai.
Agreed - I've never heard of a Seven Samurai influence before, but The Hidden Fortress is well documented. Oh, and 2000AD was published after rumours of Star Wars had crossed the Atlantic (similar to Skizz/E.T. I think).
Quote from: Steve Green on 17 August, 2015, 08:55:14 AM
"The guy with a light sabre. I assume he was a cloned trooper or wearing one of their suits after knocking one out."
Heh.
That one didn't pass me by either ;-)
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
WOOT!!!!
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
That's awesome...maybe he could be the narrator and other wo comedians from
Little Britain.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
Your statement is based on the erroneous supposition that there is ever a time that is
not Tom Baker Time.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 17 August, 2015, 10:33:01 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
Your statement is based on the erroneous supposition that there is ever a time that is not Tom Baker Time.
(http://i52.tinypic.com/2s7dxg6.gif)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
Does he say
Not So Long Ago, in Galaxy right on top of you..... and nothing else....
How about swapping this....
Normal Star Wars Intro (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QDSl2WobSA)
For this....
All the Dr Who - Sequences (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1AnTi1X2QM)
For this....
I read the full synopsis that someone posted a link to earlier in this thread, and with each new reveal it's becoming painfully obvious that it was 100% accurate.
I now know EXACTLY what's going to happen in the film and I wish I didn't. WAAAAHHHHH! Why did I read it?
I could answer all the questions being tossed around on this thread if you like. ALL OF THEM. I just want someone to share my pain...
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 11:06:20 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 17 August, 2015, 10:33:01 PM
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 August, 2015, 08:10:39 PM
Enough of this nonsense it's TOM BAKER TIME (http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/s7/doctor-who/news/a663806/doctor-whos-tom-baker-lands-star-wars-role-but-who-or-what-could-he-be-playing.html#~plErq7ZqeLI1Se)
Your statement is based on the erroneous supposition that there is ever a time that is not Tom Baker Time.
(http://i52.tinypic.com/2s7dxg6.gif)
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/db044c7945c0eb9c98ee7e4f77c846ff/tumblr_mws91acsJj1rp29dvo1_250.gif)
I feel your pain, Spaceghost, but I will not share it. Not this time!
Back in 1999, I went to NYC to see TPM on opening weekend*. I had stayed religiously spoiler-free, but the day before we went I was prowling US chat-rooms trying to get an idea of what screens were good, directions and stuff to do. In one general SW room, CLEARLY MARKED 'no spoilers' two gentlemen were discussing every particular of the third act - the Padme deception, Qui-Gon and Maul's death - I tried to look away, but in the words of Patrick Stewart, it was too late: I'd seen everything.
But never again. There'll be no-one to stop us this time.
*Not as bad as it sounds, my future wife and I were taking a train tour of the east coast. And she was meeting some online pals at a Xena convention in Orlando. So maybe it's exactly as bad as it seems.
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:13:29 AM
In one general SW room, CLEARLY MARKED 'no spoilers' two gentlemen were discussing every particular of the third act - the Padme deception, Qui-Gon and Maul's death - I tried to look away, but in the words of Patrick Stewart, it was too late: I'd seen everything.
For some reason, my mate bought The Phantom Menace soundtrack before seeing the film and was pissed off that track 17 is titled The Death of Qui-Gon Jinn.
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:13:29 AM
Back in 1999, I went to NYC to see TPM on opening weekend*.
*Not as bad as it sounds, my future wife and I were taking a train tour of the east coast. And she was meeting some online pals at a Xena convention in Orlando. So maybe it's exactly as bad as it seems.
Sounds fine to me. But did you get married in cosplay? I have friends who did (I forgot what they dressed as - due to see one of them tonight, so I'll ask).
I must stop reading this thread, otherwise I'll know everything about this film before I've seen the damned thing. But I want to know, dammit, I want to know! No I don't. Yes I do! Boo-hoo, wail, moan...
I guess we can then all be a more misleading, as well as me!
Quote from: The Cosh on 18 August, 2015, 09:24:52 AM
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:13:29 AM
In one general SW room, CLEARLY MARKED 'no spoilers' two gentlemen were discussing every particular of the third act - the Padme deception, Qui-Gon and Maul's death - I tried to look away, but in the words of Patrick Stewart, it was too late: I'd seen everything.
For some reason, my mate bought The Phantom Menace soundtrack before seeing the film and was pissed off that track 17 is titled The Death of Qui-Gon Jinn.
I once accidentally put the teletext football results on screen just as my dad was settling down to watch a match he recorded - he was not best pleased.
And I managed to get through four and a half seasons of spoiler-free Battlestar Galactica before I did a search to find an actor's name and revealed who the final undercovetr cylon was.
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:13:29 AM
I feel your pain, Spaceghost, but I will not share it. Not this time!
Post the link, Spaceghost. It'll be like letting a zombie loose in a shopping mall.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 18 August, 2015, 03:51:27 PM
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:13:29 AM
I feel your pain, Spaceghost, but I will not share it. Not this time!
Post the link, Spaceghost. It'll be like letting a zombie loose in a shopping mall.
HAHAHAAAA!
http://makingstarwars.net/2015/05/a-compiled-synopsis-of-star-wars-the-force-awakens/
Just a little click, that's all. Just a click and all your questions will be answered...
Yeah, I remember reading a full synopsis of TPM before it came out too. As well as spoiling the experience of watching the film, it made it impossible for me to judge if it was any good or not for a long while after.
I also remember the Dredd script leaking, what, a full 2+ years(?) before the film came out. I'm amazed that I resisted the temptation to read it cover to cover, but am pleased that I didn't.
Gaah! That's it - "UNNOTIFY!"
Quote from: sheridan on 17 August, 2015, 12:51:52 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 17 August, 2015, 08:55:14 AM
"The guy with a light sabre. I assume he was a cloned trooper or wearing one of their suits after knocking one out."
Heh.
That one didn't pass me by either ;-)
this might also explain why he's sweating all the time...
also regarding the supposed lightsabre floating through space after the crawl ,everyone assumes its luke's ,I reckon its vader's somehow plottingly survived the blast of death star 2 and given the mask of old wheezmatic in the trailer gives credence to kylo rens obsession to vader and could be after the collectable of collectables .
I also heard someone moaning the TIE fighters are based on the regular ones and not the more advanced interceptors, after making some of the revel easy kits to pass the time inbetween morphine hits I can honestly say I like the original tie better.
Having played a great deal of Tie Fighter and X-Wing v Tie Fighter, I am of the opinion that the Tie Interceptor is the greatest wee ship in that far, far away galaxy.
[spoiler]Also the light sabre in question has been confirmed as Anakins. The one Luke lost when Vader kicked his ass on Bespin. What happened to Luke's hand?[/spoiler]
I loved the A-Wing in X-Wing Alliance....loved that game. Z
Ps still not sold on a hand not burning up upon entering an atmosphere....more wizardry?
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 08:13:17 PM
Ps still not sold on a hand not burning up upon entering an atmosphere....more wizardry?
What makes you think Cloud City was outside the atmosphere?
Cheers
Jim
It wasn't. But presumably the journey from Bespin to the new desert planet involves an exit from one atmosphere, followed by a light years long journey followed by an entry into another atmosphere? Z
Thing about that lightsabre... it's nothing special. Dialogue and actual destruction of one in AotC emphasise that Ani went through the things at a rate of knots, plus that pathological liar Obi-Wan welded a ring onto it some very boring desert evening so he obviously didn't have much respect for it as a storied artefact.
Of course that's not to say that a Vader fetishist would see it that way - this was after all the weapon that slew Darth Tyrannus and so many Jedi and their charges in the Temple, as well as the entire Separatist Council.
EDIT: I'd always known that Bespin was a gas giant, and thus couldn't imagine how Luke's sabre could have survived falling in to its core. However, this is just supposition, unsupported by 'new' canon. I rather doubt that the sabre fell out of Cloud City at all - from 3PO's near-final fate we see that the Ugnaughts are running a recycling programme, and those vents are obviously sucking waste from the central atrium for some cleaning purpose, which may be the first step in that operation. Also, why would Luke's hand and sabre necessarily fall into the same one, or trigger that hatch in the same way Luke's body did? I'd say it's as likely as not that the falling weapon was identified as useful tech and processed accordingly, passing from an enterprising Ugnaught offworld to some Jedi aficionado who wasn't aware of its provenance, eventually ending up through misfortune in the battle debris in orbit around Jakku.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 08:19:31 PM
It wasn't. But presumably the journey from Bespin to the new desert planet involves an exit from one atmosphere, followed by a light years long journey followed by an entry into another atmosphere? Z
I would find it hard to imagine it achieved escape velocity on its own, and so must surely have been moved by the actions of someone/thing.
Cheers
Jim
Cool Tordel. But we had a wonderful night watching the Perseids a weekend so ago. Stuff burns up upon atmospheric entry unless shielded? Z
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 08:29:10 PMThing about that lightsabre... it's nothing special....that pathological liar Obi-Wan welded a ring onto it some very boring desert evening so he obviously didn't have much respect for it as a storied artefact.
I'm sure it served as a retro-lamp in Kenobi's hovel at some stage.
That's not a glow stick; this is a glow stick. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 08:35:11 PM
Cool Tordel. But we had a wonderful night watching the Perseids a weekend so ago. Stuff burns up upon atmospheric entry unless shielded? Z
Felix Baumgartner (sp?) didn't. And the Earth sweeps through the Perseids at a minimum speed of about 30 km/second.
Which is by way of saying, doesn't it depend on relative speed of object and atmosphere, rather than simple terminal velocity versus friction?
Need to do some sums. Be back. Z
No need. Midichlorians trump maths everytime, unless it's simple comparatives of quantity, to which they are subject.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 08:13:17 PMPs still not sold on a hand not burning up upon entering an atmosphere....more wizardry?
The rumour is that it's just a lightsaber
sans hand.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 August, 2015, 08:51:46 PM
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 08:13:17 PMPs still not sold on a hand not burning up upon entering an atmosphere....more wizardry?
The rumour is that it's just a lightsaber sans hand.
Well
obviously. Thrawn has the hand at Mount Tantiss.
Actually, that's an interesting one: what was the explanation for the recovery of hand and weapon in
Heir to The Empire (or more likely its sequels)?
No idea. I disliked a huge amount of the expanded universe. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 09:00:04 PM
No idea. I disliked a huge amount of the expanded universe. Z
Back to your sums, reformer scum.
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 08:54:58 PM
Actually, that's an interesting one: what was the explanation for the recovery of hand and weapon in Heir to The Empire (or more likely its sequels)?
The Emperor's trophy (3–9 ABY)
The lightsaber, still clutched by Luke Skywalker's hand, had become lodged in one of Cloud City's lower air shafts and eventually was recovered by a maintenance drone. The drone deposited the hand and the lightsaber in Smelting Core D. There, it was discovered by Groggin, the Smelting Core's supervisor.
Groggin had no use for the hand and decided to have it incinerated while he would keep the lightsaber, which he planned to melt down. However, the arrival of Darth Vader in the smelting facility prevented Groggin from taking such action. After a round of aggressive negotiations, Vader left the facility with the hand and the lightsaber in his possession. Though he had other plans for the hand and the lightsaber in mind, Vader was compelled by Palpatine to bring the two items to the Mount Tantiss storehouse on Wayland. There, the Emperor made Vader turn Skywalker's hand and lightsaber over to him.http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anakin_Skywalker's_second_lightsaber#The_Emperor.27s_trophy_.283.E2.80.939_ABY.29 (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Anakin_Skywalker's_second_lightsaber#The_Emperor.27s_trophy_.283.E2.80.939_ABY.29)
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--TR9n1DgW--/1308295427754104679.jpg)
Brilliant. And quite sufficient explanation for me.
Ok, the mighty Baumgartner (praise be to him) was not outside the atmosphere and was only subject.to earth's gravity. When he jumped he reached terminal velocity within the atmosphere. This speed is insufficient to build up a compressive shock front of air with the resultant kinetic heat build up which impacts upon objects (spacecraft, light sabres etc) entering the atmosphere from out side orbits or extra earth orbits. These tend to be travelling at orbital speeds (above 6 km/ps), whenb they start hitting the atmosphere, compression of air in front of the object in question builds up temperatures of 5500 degrees c or more, hence the burning. Small objects are entirely incinerated, larger objects suffer catastrophic damage. Plus the terminal velocity fall and impact don't help. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 18 August, 2015, 09:33:05 PM
Ok, the mighty Baumgartner (praise be to him) was not outside the atmosphere and was only subject.to earth's gravity. When he jumped he reached terminal velocity within the atmosphere. This speed is insufficient to build up a compressive shock front of air with the resultant kinetic heat build up which impacts upon objects (spacecraft, light sabres etc) entering the atmosphere from out side orbits or extra earth orbits. These tend to be travelling at orbital speeds (above 6 km/ps), whenb they start hitting the atmosphere, compression of air in front of the object in question builds up temperatures of 5500 degrees c or more, hence the burning. Small objects are entirely incinerated, larger objects suffer catastrophic damage. Plus the terminal velocity fall and impact don't help. Z
But none of that takes into account midichlorians!
But given that the space-going vessel that the lightsabre fell from might have had repulsorlift technology, certainly had artificial gravity internally at least, and may have had a kind of 'inertial dampening' (to use a Trek term for a technology that must exist in some form in SW too) is it necessary that it was ever in an orbit as we understand the term? Couldn't the ship therefore just have been 'floating' there for want of a better term, and the when the system finally failed and the ship disintegrated, the sabre just fell straight down having no relative angular momentum?
Incidentally, the way Our Heroes slip and slide in the wrong direction around Grievous' ship as it falls towards Coruscant strongly suggests that all sort of bizarre anti-gravity effects obtain in a failing GFFA starship. Although I concede that that ship was in a conventional low orbit.
Or, as I implied earlier, it was the Will of the Force.
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 08:54:58 PM
Actually, that's an interesting one: what was the explanation for the recovery of hand and weapon in Heir to The Empire (or more likely its sequels)?
So got to find someone with missed hand, the hand fitted perfectly and get married and lived happily ever?
Quote from: Goaty on 18 August, 2015, 09:50:06 PM
So got to find someone with missed hand, the hand fitted perfectly and get married and lived happily ever?
Apart from the occasional inexplicable instance of fondling his sister inappropriately, the transplant was a complete success.
Tell you what though, after this none of us are going to be able to sit through the opening pan of TFA in quite the same way as the rest of the audience...
Quote from: TotalHack on 18 August, 2015, 09:53:14 PM
Tell you what though, after this none of us are going to be able to sit through the opening pan of TFA in quite the same way as the rest of the audience..
Well we did with The Phantom Menace... (what the hell was that about??)
You know it could be a good meet up locus for the Belfast 2000AD (TFA) discussion group. We could get Dr Pops to give us authoritative commenary. How about a matinee and Tordel could nip up from Dublin and join us. Z
I won't lie: my main line of thought is more if it constitutes incest if Vader used the hand to wank himself off. The best answer I can come up with is "only if he makes Luke watch."
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 18 August, 2015, 10:01:23 PM
I won't lie: my main line of thought is more if it constitutes incest if Vader used the hand to wank himself off. The best answer I can come up with is "only if he makes Luke watch."
Yeah, like I'm ever going north of the border again after reading that.
Vader don't need a hand.
(http://media2.giphy.com/media/YMQACIPvZFZDO/giphy.gif)
Certainly could be a useful talent in very boring meetings, especially with that mask on and convenient cape.
Ugh, this thread has gone all Thryllseekery now!
Bear and his trusty lupinesque companion Dickhead live in Cookstown....he'd never find his way to Belfast from way out there. Z
Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 August, 2015, 03:26:01 PM
I once accidentally put the teletext football results on screen just as my dad was settling down to watch a match he recorded - he was not best pleased.
Ha. Apparently, my mate's dad would be quite scrupulous about not telling him the scores in the evening. He would, however, yawn and say he was off to bed when a goal was scored two minutes into the highlights...
So for Star Wars, I have really only been interested in the films. To the extent that I don't even know characters names if they aren't mentioned in the films. I do hope these new films are made for me rather than people who know about the expanded universe.
* Ok, I will admit to playing some Star Wars games and reading the first Han Solo novels (Brian Daley?) and a couple of Lando novels. And Marvel comics. But I never thought they were 'real' Star Wars.
Ps. "knocked one out" ... that made me laugh
I went through a phase of reading some of the spin-off novels as a teenager (and still have a soft spot for the original episodes 7-9, Timothy Zahn's 'Heir to the Empire' trilogy) but went off them pretty quickly. They kinda milked it to death.
There's a lot to be said for just giving audiences a glimpse of something and letting their imagination do the work. When you start to fill in all of the blanks it loses something. Having every single tertiary character in Star Wars have all these connections to each other just makes the universe feel so small. Prequels and 'sidequels' rarely ever work, and there are few phrases in modern moviegoing (or videogaming) more groan-worthy than 'this character/plot twist makes sense if you've read the prequel novel/comic'.
Especially with sci fi and fantasy, it can be best to keep things vague and not over-explain every aspect, or draw too many direct parallels between fictional worlds and reality. It's a problem I had with the prequels - I always remember that bit in Attack of the Clones when they go into the bar and they've got Space American Football playing on a big screen, and they get offered Space Drugs. It's so silly. And, you know, midichlorians.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 19 August, 2015, 04:33:31 PM
* Ok, I will admit to playing some Star Wars games and reading the first Han Solo novels (Brian Daley?) and a couple of Lando novels. And Marvel comics. But I never thought they were 'real' Star Wars.
The Brian Daley Han Solo novels were great fun, and Daley is/was probably the best at capturing the character (from what I've read, which was a lot at one time but nothing for many many years). Those Lando books were...wonky.
The Daley Solos were brill, the Ann Crispin ones not as good.
I wouldn't think anyone has anything to fear from EU references in TFA - great and unpopular lengths have been gone to to clean the slate. I was only drawing parallels with similar plots and plot points in the old EU for fun.
As I frequently drone on about, one of the biggest problems TPM had was its attempt to manufacture in one go the same kind of multimedia EU that had evolved organically over 20 years around the OT, becoming part of the nerdy cultural lexicon (e.g. so nerds know that the 'other' rebel fighter in Star Wars is called a Y-Wing despite no-one ever calling them that on screen). In effect it presented itself as a multimedia proposition, where the film was merely the centerpiece of a mess of books, guides, toys and games - and relied on the audience to get up to speed on (and buy) all that stuff, when in fact they just said 'huh?'.
I can't see Disney making that mistake.
Max and Zollux was it? I even drew my own comic strip of Han Solo's Revenge.
I can assume the kindle version is the usa version as blue max's compadre is called the original "bollux"
Quote from: Grugz on 19 August, 2015, 08:53:26 PM
I can assume the kindle version is the usa version as blue max's compadre is called the original "bollux"
They didn't really change it for the UK version did they? That's hilarious!
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/11880321_10153539395147708_6355677149977022130_n.jpg?oh=95c52692728eee92a479224037e58a85&oe=567FD0C7)
I thought I found a rough outline of the film.....
Started reading the thing and it begins with a [spoiler]a light sabre falling through space and landing on some world and then eventually into the carrying compartment of that little ball shaped droid.[/spoiler]
That's all I bothered to read before I lost the page after being forced into restarting the computer.....
Thought, I might have found the link somewhere on this thread.
Unless other Forces were trying to leak to me the story.
How spoilertastic is this thread likely to get, do you think? I'd rather not back out of it, but we'rs still 114 days out and things are getting hairy...
I wouldn't worry too much Tordel, if that spoiler is the plot I'll sever my gonads and eat them. It is risible. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 25 August, 2015, 05:48:31 PM
if that spoiler is the plot I'll sever my gonads and eat them. It is risible. Z
My anticipation for Ep. 7 has squared.
Star Wars is a big enough thing to deserve its own Spoiler Free thread, surely? All spoilery posts removed by mods and folded into this one? I think it deserves it, as it was partially responsible for the success of a certain comic launched in 1977.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 25 August, 2015, 05:48:31 PM
I wouldn't worry too much Tordel, if that spoiler is the plot I'll sever my gonads and eat them. It is risible. Z
JJA doesn't have a lot of time for things like logic or good plotting, his career has been marked by flimsy setup for action setpieces, sometimes curbed by good writers or firm producers. I don't know that Star Wars 7 has either, as the production process hasn't exactly been very long.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 25 August, 2015, 05:48:31 PM
..if that spoiler is the plot I'll sever my gonads and eat them.
Promise me you'll paint and arrange them like BB8 and it's a deal.
My favourite pub and Star Wars together at last...
http://glasgow.stv.tv/articles/1326996-star-wars-exhibit-at-glasgow-variety-bar-ahead-of-force-awakens-release/
A 16 second clip has popped up on instagram (probably on YouTube by now) and it includes someone else igniting their lightsabre, in the same location as Mr Red lightsabre.
Yeah, that new micro-teaser is probably my favourite snippet yet. Nice new VO and a focus on the new characters (as the initial toyline also does). Wot, no Poe?
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 25 August, 2015, 10:50:56 PM
I don't know that Star Wars 7 has either, as the production process hasn't exactly been very long.
I was only thinking that recently- it seems like no length of time since the announcement, now we're only a few months away from Force overload.
Then again, I think X-Men DOFP (which I thought was pretty good) was announced around the same time as Episode VII, and that's been and gone more than a year ago. They've even finished shooting it's sequel.
Regarding the latest teaser; loved it. Finn looks excellent wielding that Light-saber.
It's [spoiler]Anakin's / Luke's, right[/spoiler]?
Wish he was in Stormtrooper uniform when he did that, that would be awesome scene!
I see there's going to be a comic to tell us how 3PO gets his red arm! Disappointing, I was kinda hoping they'd leave it to our imagination. What next? Why his leg is a different colour?
It seems to be the way of things to tell us every facet of every character's backstory, not just in SW but in all popular culture. I don't NEED or want to know that R5-D4 was a sentient, sacrificial Jedi droid or why each patron was in the cantina. One of the cool things about the Star Wars movies was that lived in universe; dents, scratches and throwaway lines that hinted to other exciting things happening in a chaotic universe.
3PO's arm could have been a cool little mystery (like what was in the case in Pulp Fiction) or ongoing joke leaving people to speculate, but now we're going to be spoon fed what happened. I know you're thinking "Shut up Pete, you fat arsehole, you don't have to read it;" but a) where do you get off calling me a fat arsehole? and b) I'm a Sci-fi nerd, of COURSE I have to read it! I just hope the story is worth it.
Oh dear, I'm ranting about a robot's arm in a comic I haven't read yet, I HAVE woken up in a foul mood haven't I!?!
Quote from: Pete Wells on 06 September, 2015, 08:22:13 AM
I see there's going to be a comic to tell us how 3PO gets his red arm!
Is it going to be a story about a board meeting where they wonder how they can sell the same figure again?
Or you could just ignore the comic. In a few years time you'll be told it isn't canon anyway, so make like a hipster!
It is however interesting to conduct one's own bit of speculative fancon - note that a red swash on the (subject's) left side is common to Finn and Poe's jacket(s) and Poe's helmet, so perhaps 3PO's arm is a Resistance symbol? Confusingly, it's also on one of the Tie Fighters and one of the 'elite' stormtrooper toys, so maybe just a visual signature throughout the film.
Meanwhile, Force Friday here in Oirland was hilarious. Smyth's Toys, our effective monopoly supplier, are selling the 'kiddie' range of figures at €14.50 - these are the ones with the same limited articulation as the original 70s ones, originally introduced a year back to be a cheaper option at €7 - €8, now dearer than the Black Series super-articulated range was. The 6" range has moved up to €31.50. Gouging taken to a whole new level, and the end of any chance of me or the kids buying any.
Okay, so I caved and bought a micro machines First Order Star Destroyer. It's lovely. Pew pew pew aroogah aroogah.
I was tempted by that Star Destroyer. I think it's the first Micro Machines toy to come out in years.
There's a nice new T-70 X-Wing as well - lovely design work on the new s-foils. But life is all about difficult choices, and firepower won out.
I got one of those Sphero remote controlled BB8's, it's brilliant!
But what if it is the new Jar Jar?
Or says dialogue like "I hate sand. It's all rough. Not like you, you're smooth."
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 September, 2015, 10:22:42 AM
But what if it is the new Jar Jar?
Or says dialogue like "I hate sand. It's all rough. Not like you, you're smooth."
No one in the history of film has said that. No one. Ever.
Go on Tordel, join with Pete and feed the gaping maw that is the Disney Star Wars franchise. Z
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 September, 2015, 10:37:37 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 September, 2015, 10:22:42 AM
But what if it is the new Jar Jar?
Or says dialogue like "I hate sand. It's all rough. Not like you, you're smooth."
No one in the history of film has said that. No one. Ever.
Indeed, the actual line is worse:
QuoteI don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth.
Proof if proof were needed that there was no review or edit of that script, and perhaps even cause for a reappraisal of Hayden's performance: I doubt that anyone, not Derek Jacobi, Morgan Freeman, Bill Murray or Clint Eastwood could deliver that line without destroying their character and the movie around them.
Luckily neither version ever appeared in a Star Wars movie.
And Zen: in time, my friend, all in good time. I'll find a new definition of pain and suffering as I am slowly fleeced over a thousand years.
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 September, 2015, 11:08:20 AM
I doubt that anyone, not Derek Jacobi, Morgan Freeman, Bill Murray or Clint Eastwood could deliver that line without destroying their character and the movie around them.
An object lesson in the perils of film-making when there's no one willing and/or able to stand up to you and say "You can type this shit, but you can't say it."
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Steve Green on 06 September, 2015, 08:30:08 AM
Quote from: Pete Wells on 06 September, 2015, 08:22:13 AM
I see there's going to be a comic to tell us how 3PO gets his red arm!
Is it going to be a story about a board meeting where they wonder how they can sell the same figure again?
:lol:
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 September, 2015, 10:37:37 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 September, 2015, 10:22:42 AM
But what if it is the new Jar Jar?
Or says dialogue like "I hate sand. It's all rough. Not like you, you're smooth."
No one in the history of film has said that. No one. Ever.
My memory is not what it used to be. It's a running gag in our house. And nobody is arsed enough to correct it.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 September, 2015, 12:31:17 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 06 September, 2015, 10:37:37 AM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 September, 2015, 10:22:42 AM
But what if it is the new Jar Jar?
Or says dialogue like "I hate sand. It's all rough. Not like you, you're smooth."
No one in the history of film has said that. No one. Ever.
My memory is not what it used to be. It's a running gag in our house. And nobody is arsed enough to correct it.
My point was that it's not the best line ever... and I choose to forget such pap.
"Obi Wan never told you what happened to your father..."
That, though, is dialogue!
Oh I understand. Yeah, there are whole chunks I choose to forget as well.
On the subject of Threepio's red arm and things having random red on one corner in general, I note that two of the 'new canon' novels Weapon of a Jedi and Smuggler's Run also have viewer's-right/subject's left red swashes on a greyscale background. Appears to be a 'coherent visual identity' thing for the movie after all. A (metaverse)symbol of the Force returning to/reawakening in a drained and colourless galaxy...?
While the First Order and Resistance are supposedly different from the Empire and Rebels, some of the toys show Resistance pilots clearly sporting the rebel insignia. First Order officers seem to wear an insignia similar but different to that of the Empire.
Also, according to the Episode 7 themed X-Wing Miniatures set, First Order TIE Fighters have shields.
QuoteAlso, according to the Episode 7 themed X-Wing Miniatures set, First Order TIE Fighters have shields.
They do, and the X-Wing has an extra shield, I think. Not unreasonable that they have improved the design in the last 30 years.
I think there was a reason that original TIEs didn't have shields. The Emperor thought it would make them fight harder or something (it would make me more likely to run away personally).
Anyway, more importantly, the release date for The Force Awakens has been changed to my birthday!
Exciting!
TIE fighters lacking shields is a product of the almost uniformly shittily written EU (ditto them not having ejector seats, even though we see a TIE-pilot ejecting in TESB). If you look at the escape from Death Star scene, one of the TIEs appears to take several hits from the Falcon's quad guns that are dissipated harmlessly.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 08 September, 2015, 04:18:32 PM
TIE fighters lacking shields is a product of the almost uniformly shittily written EU (ditto them not having ejector seats, even though we see a TIE-pilot ejecting in TESB). If you look at the escape from Death Star scene, one of the TIEs appears to take several hits from the Falcon's quad guns that are dissipated harmlessly.
I think its actually from the x-wing and tie fighter games Lucasarts put out. Your point about shittily written EU stuff still stands though :D
I'm fairly sure it came from the first crop of West End Games stuff that came out in the late eighties, that also gave us stuff like five-mile long Executor; X-Wing the game came out in '93.
Happy to back any booting of the Eu. Z
Quote from: JamesC on 08 September, 2015, 03:09:29 PM
I think there was a reason that original TIEs didn't have shields. The Emperor thought it would make them fight harder or something (it would make me more likely to run away personally).
There's a similar real-world precedent from the First World War (although the logic is a bit more sound) - British pilots were deliberately not given parachutes until late 1918, the thinking being that it would make a pilot more likely to try to save his craft in an emergency.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 08 September, 2015, 05:55:19 PM
I'm fairly sure it came from the first crop of West End Games stuff that came out in the late eighties, that also gave us stuff like five-mile long Executor; X-Wing the game came out in '93.
I'm not sure it's fair to lay too much blame for the failings of the EU at WEG's feet. Role players by their nature like to/need to know how big and/or fast everything is (the better to kill or steal it) and what people/species/planets/weapons are called, and in 1987 aside from dribbles on the backs of toy packaging, the Marvel comics, a handful of novels and some bubblegum cards none of that info existed.
I'm sure no-one at WEG realised that when they were trying to populate Tatooine with NPCs as a campaign/scenario setting, or squinting at their paused VHS shot of regular Star Destroyers dwarfed by Executor, that they were laying shaky foundations for 25 years of multimedia output and countless flamewars. They were just making a (fun) game.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 08 September, 2015, 04:18:32 PM
TIE fighters lacking shields is a product of the almost uniformly shittily written EU (ditto them not having ejector seats, even though we see a TIE-pilot ejecting in TESB). If you look at the escape from Death Star scene, one of the TIEs appears to take several hits from the Falcon's quad guns that are dissipated harmlessly.
TIE-pilot ejecting?! How did I miss that? What scene in ESB was that in?
The asteroid field - but it's a matter of endless debate whether this is really what is shown. Ejector seats are however well established in Marvel and DH comics, and as noted in the TIE Fighter game. So as solid a piece of the former EU as there ever was.
Yeah, it's a blurry figure shape that you can see if you freeze frame against one of the explosions. I only have DVDs, it might show up better on HD or blu-ray. I'm not convinced.
I started trying to watch THREADS OF DESTINY last night but gave up. Even Phantom Menace had the common sense to get into a light sabre vs. droids fight within the first five minutes but after twenty minutes this was still people yammering on about trade rights and secession and empires and republics.
What was with the fuzzy light around everybody? Is that a by-product of doing green screen stuff poorly?
Something New (http://www.slashfilm.com/the-force-awakens-guavian-enforcer/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_677769).
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 09 September, 2015, 02:05:05 PM
Something New (http://www.slashfilm.com/the-force-awakens-guavian-enforcer/?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_677769).
As soon as I saw it I thought "Deadpool"...the author of the article seconds that, stealing my thunder.
THIS is the type of thing that I'm leery about with this film...that design is so un-Star Warsy.
They'll be shooting at Skellig Michael again soon for Episode VIII (much to the chagrin of wildlife conservation groups).
Quote from: Tordelback on 09 September, 2015, 07:04:40 AM
Quote from: JPMaybe on 08 September, 2015, 05:55:19 PM
I'm fairly sure it came from the first crop of West End Games stuff that came out in the late eighties, that also gave us stuff like five-mile long Executor; X-Wing the game came out in '93.
I'm not sure it's fair to lay too much blame for the failings of the EU at WEG's feet. Role players by their nature like to/need to know how big and/or fast everything is (the better to kill or steal it) and what people/species/planets/weapons are called, and in 1987 aside from dribbles on the backs of toy packaging, the Marvel comics, a handful of novels and some bubblegum cards none of that info existed.
I'm sure no-one at WEG realised that when they were trying to populate Tatooine with NPCs as a campaign/scenario setting, or squinting at their paused VHS shot of regular Star Destroyers dwarfed by Executor, that they were laying shaky foundations for 25 years of multimedia output and countless flamewars. They were just making a (fun) game.
Yeah I see your point, but it doesn't take a genius to look at the ample shots of Death Squadron in TESB and RotJ and come up with a figure that's not off by a factor of more than two- you could do better with a tape measure held up to the screen. Lucasfilm obviously compounded it massively by treating their stuff as in any way accurate, and passing it on to Timothy Zahn as being such. They're obviously not responsible for book contracts being handed out to any old hack, but stuff like the Executor size SNAFU and the generally underscaled, underimaginative stuff they churned out rankles with me particularly.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 09 September, 2015, 07:43:39 AM
Quote from: JPMaybe on 08 September, 2015, 04:18:32 PM
TIE fighters lacking shields is a product of the almost uniformly shittily written EU (ditto them not having ejector seats, even though we see a TIE-pilot ejecting in TESB). If you look at the escape from Death Star scene, one of the TIEs appears to take several hits from the Falcon's quad guns that are dissipated harmlessly.
TIE-pilot ejecting?! How did I miss that? What scene in ESB was that in?
Already covered but here's a link (http://www.eeggs.com/items/9851.html).
Apparently it's been confirmed, well, strongly suggested (by John Landis of all people) that Disney will be releasing the original, unaltered cuts of Star Wars.
Hooray!
Quote from: radiator on 19 September, 2015, 02:29:22 AM
Apparently it's been confirmed, well, strongly suggested (by John Landis of all people) that Disney will be releasing the original, unaltered cuts of Star Wars.
Hooray!
Nice. That reworked musical scene in Jabba's Palace really is a piece of Crap.
Cheers
Quote from: radiator on 19 September, 2015, 02:29:22 AM
Apparently it's been confirmed, well, strongly suggested (by John Landis of all people) that Disney will be releasing the original, unaltered cuts of Star Wars.
Hooray!
They'd be daft not to.
However, I seem to remember someone saying it wouldn't happen till 2020 though, something to do with Fox still holding the distribution rights to the original release versions?
I wouldn't say no to a hybrid version which left in some of the less invasive additions such as the windows in cloud city and the emperor's proper face in Empire.
For me that's the real problem. In my opinion a lot of the additions are good. ....stone of them not so much. I'm happy to stock with the altered versions as no one is going to come along and make the solid judgement calls that would be required to make the "best" version of each film.
Id be happy to get a package that included both versions.
Just a thought; As the tinkering reached insane levels, and a lot of fans felt they had to position themselves at the other end of the spectrum, if we now have a chance to get nicely scrubbed up versions of the original cuts, how much 'restoring' would be seen as permissible?
Should visible matte lines, for example, be removed, or left in the original cuts?
Quote from: NapalmKev on 19 September, 2015, 06:39:02 AM
Quote from: radiator on 19 September, 2015, 02:29:22 AM
Apparently it's been confirmed, well, strongly suggested (by John Landis of all people) that Disney will be releasing the original, unaltered cuts of Star Wars.
Hooray!
Nice. That reworked musical scene in Jabba's Palace really is a piece of Crap.
Cheers
Agreed. Plus I want the original Ewok song back at the end of Jedi instead of the godawful new age pan pipe crap.
As long as we get to see Han shoot first...I'd be happy.
Great news if it happens. I have the theatrical versions on dvd. Maybe not as spiffy looking, but I only watch these ones.
Quote from: Spikes on 19 September, 2015, 11:39:45 AM
Id be happy to get a package that included both versions.
Just a thought; As the tinkering reached insane levels, and a lot of fans felt they had to position themselves at the other end of the spectrum, if we now have a chance to get nicely scrubbed up versions of the original cuts, how much 'restoring' would be seen as permissible?
Should visible matte lines, for example, be removed, or left in the original cuts?
My take is that technical fixes are fine - so garbage mattes being removed, or a glow being added to a lightsabre that was missed on the original release, even things like fixing the wobbly engine glows on the x-wings.
I'm not that much of a purist.
It's more the additions that bug me.
QuoteThat reworked musical scene in Jabba's Palace really is a piece of Crap.
never a truer word spoken. I was, and continue to be, genuinely baffled by that change.
also the 'No' in ROTJ. the whole point for me was the silent decision making with the epic music as his son was being destroyed
I doubt Disney will spend more than they need to on this in terms of restoration...if it happens or hasn't all ready. Shareholder priority and the biggest chunk of money-making will come from future Star Wars projects so I can imagine a straight split of a basic remaster/restoration of 'original' Star Wars v Special Editions with all their CGI additions, matte-line removals, changes etc.
Blending the two seems a bit too complex and the far simpler way of interpreting the directive from fans is just to give them clean originals in HD.
Would really like a high quality copy of the originals. I miss the Rebel ships exploding from the jungle canopy like rockets from a WW2 katuschya. Z
I had actually heard recently while researching it that the real reason for Lucas' dogged refusal to release the original cuts might actually be because of a legal/copyright issue, and that he may have a legal prerogative to alter a certain percentage of the footage of the original movie.
Don't want to say more than that as its all conjecture and could well be bollocks, but it would certainly explain it, because doing it purely for artistic reasons is just bonkers.
I have this after see them on the shelve with
Chewie and some
Storm-Troopers.....
(https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.Mca2de872a2a9bb2ae1d8fdfbb9085a51o0&pid=15.1)
I think it's about almost half a metre high.....
Wish they had
2000AD characters like this!
I quite like the remastered versions, although I think they went too far.*
I'm in agreement with the poster (sorry, too lazy to look back to see who it was) that my definitive version would be somewhere in between the originals and remastered.
A New Hope: Much as I liked the dinosaurs** on Tatooine, they didn't need to have them in every shot in the marketplace. And that stormtrooper riding the dinosaur, I mean dewback, looked kinda cool, but it made little sense. While there is a history of characters in Star Wars using the local beasts as transport, I'd imagine the imperials would have had their own transport. Luke on the Yak, I mean, Tauntaun, fair enough. He is out on patrol on a snow planet in dodgy weather, so I could imagine even a sci-fi hover thing might break down in those conditions (mind you, so did the yak),. But it's just not something I'd imagine the storm-troopers employing. They'd have their own vehicles to get anywhere quickly that can cope with the desert just fine.
The Jabba scene was interesting, but the fact that the original version of Jabba was humanoid means Solo ends up stepping on the slug version's tail when he walks around him. It's kind of an amusing gag, sure (I'm easily amused, and we all know Solo is a bit of a lad, and I can imagine him giving Jabba a bit of roguish cheek, but considering Jabba is essentially the mafioso godfather of this planet (and possibly a branch in an interstellar crime syndicate if we're to believe the prequels and Clone Wars animation), would he really be so silly as to physically assault him in that situation? It would be like a low key bootlegger stepping on Al Capone's toe after a meeting.
I do like the scene as a curiosity though, but I think it is best as a deleted scene.
I'm fine with the planetscapes, etc though.
Empire Strikes Back: The extra stuff is much more low key and generally enhances the film. I'm happy to stick with the remastered version in this case.
Return of the Jedi: I have a fondness for whacky stuff, but I can understand why that Oola Bint's (or whatever that female blob thing is called) song and dance number would annoy some people. It's not really required to be fair.
I guess I'm undecided about that scene but I'd lean towards removing it. Then again, I kind of admire the sheer audacity in including it!
The new version of the Deathstar explosion affect- keep that in. That bit at the end where you see people throughout the Galaxy cheering at the destruction of the Empire and pulling down statues, etc.... leave that out. Would the rest of the galaxy have found out about the death of the Emperor that quickly? I doubt it. And it's doubtful such a powerful galaxy-wide institution as the empire would have suddenly lost control of all their worlds that quickly anyway, which seems to be the route the new sequels will be exploring. Surely there are a whole bunch of Moffs with their own troops still out there? They didn't all go to the Endor system, surely?
I'm in two minds concerning bringing in Hayden Christenssen as a force ghost at the end. On one hand it feels like an injustice to the original Anakin actor, no matter how small his role was. On the other hand it does tie in with the prequels.
So to sum up - keep in the stuff that enhances. Cut out the stuff that comes across needlessly gratuitous.
Keep in the frog monster with the long toungue ho gobbles up that little critter in RotJ though. I like that. Those little droids being silly? Meh, whatever.
*Even then those bits didn't offend me, but that's probably because I've seen the films before so I was partly watching for the extra bits. But as a first time viewing, I guess they could be distracting.
** Okay, they're technically not dinosaurs, but you know the beasts I mean.
Isn't the ROTJ frog monster in the original version? I think he's a Jim Henson puppet.
Quote from: Mardroid on 20 September, 2015, 01:49:44 PM
The Jabba scene was interesting....
....but I think it is best as a deleted scene.
I do like the Jabba scene as well. But it totally ruins the build-up for the character.
We had him mentioned in Star Wars, then the Empire, and it wasn't until Jedi that we actually got to see him.
So, whilst, for me, its great to see extra original footage/scenes from Star Wars, It's best left on the cutting room floor, or kept as an 'extra'.
I think there was a large froggy alien in Jabba's palace. That was a puppet.
I'm talking about a smaller critter outside. (I said 'frog monster' but I forget exactly how it looked. It could have been more like a chameleon.) You see a small creature wandering around squeaking, then suddenly the other beast's head pops out from hiding and catches it with a long sticky tongue. (If I remember correctly.)
I thought that was a remastered add-on. But I could be wrong.
It's a while since I've seen Star Wars but if I recall, there's lots od fialogue repeated between the Greedo scene and the inserted Jabba scene. That always annoyed me.
Barely glimpsed cool looking creatures in background? Yes - that's one of the many things that makes teh original trilogy cool.
Lots of cut away shots to creatures doing prat falls and comedy routines? Less of that please.
I've always maintained that this was inevitable. There's just too much money on the table for it not to happen.
My question is why they aren't doing it now, ahead of the release of TFA (rather than the recent HD digital releases and the forthcoming steelbook Blu Rays of the tinkered versions)?
I'm wondering if they are being held back for a limited theatrical run in the run up to Episode VIII?
Not sure if this is the right place, but talking of old SW stuff being re-issued, this caught my eye the other day..
The original Star Wars Topps trading card series - available 29th October (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1419711725/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1SZKMK2DXYW9MGS2YAAB&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=577048787&pf_rd_i=desktop)
(http://i.imgur.com/UQPpIPX.jpg)
Not sure if they'll include the rude C3PO one though...
Those Topps trading cards are great. I've got mountains of the first two series. Here is a snap of some of 'em:
(http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x141/mycenaean/Various/Star-Wars-cards-4852-sm_zpskysq09zu.jpg) (http://s180.photobucket.com/user/mycenaean/media/Various/Star-Wars-cards-4852-sm_zpskysq09zu.jpg.html)
Topps were around in the 70s?!
Quote from: Spikes on 23 September, 2015, 04:34:05 PM
Not sure if this is the right place, but talking of old SW stuff being re-issued, this caught my eye the other day..
Looks really nice Iain, think I'll add it to my stocking filler wish list.
In a similar vein (but even more off topic) I was really pleased with the Mars Attacks hardback Topps brought out a couple years ago- it's often flicked through.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mars-Attacks-Topps-Zina-Saunders/dp/1419704095/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1443042105&sr=1-1&keywords=Topps+Mars+attacks
Quote from: Spikes on 23 September, 2015, 04:34:05 PM
Not sure if this is the right place, but talking of old SW stuff being re-issued, this caught my eye the other day..
The original Star Wars Topps trading card series - available 29th October (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1419711725/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1SZKMK2DXYW9MGS2YAAB&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=577048787&pf_rd_i=desktop)
(http://i.imgur.com/UQPpIPX.jpg)
Not sure if they'll include the rude C3PO one though...
The fellow who made
Star-Wars-Age-Nine (http://starwarsage9.com/) might appreciate those and proof that
C3PO is just a
actor (https://www.google.com.au/search?q=the+rude+star+wars+c3po+card&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAWoVChMIrv2Ppc6OyAIVwxqUCh24Ggci)
"A horrified Luke sees his family killed"
Enjoy your bubblegum, kids!
Quote from: JamesC on 24 September, 2015, 06:39:09 AM
"A horrified Luke sees his family killed"
Enjoy your bubblegum, kids!
I think that was one of the great aspects of the original Star Wars - certainly I loved it when I was a kid. Burning skeletons, severed arms, enemies with burning gaping holes in their chests, chopped off heads and hands, monsters gnawing on Gamorean Guards, princesses throttling obese gangsters etc etc etc.
Do you see any of that in kids films today? No, you bloody don't. It's all super-safe saccharine bollocks.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 24 September, 2015, 07:52:18 AM
Do you see any of that in kids films today? No, you bloody don't. It's all super-safe saccharine bollocks.
We managed to traumatise Tiny Tips by taking him to see Jackson's King Kong (he'd loved the original and I thought, "What's the worst that can be in it?" without figuring on the islanders being so scary or them actually doing the much talked about insect pit).
We decided that Revenge of the Sith was too much for him featuring decapitations and dismemberments in the "rescue the Emporer" sequence.
(I can't remember which order they came out in and whether the Sith decision was as a result of learning from my mistakes)
And Dark Knight had some pretty ott stuff for a 12a.
So there is some scary stuff out there (unless ten years ago doesn't count).
I was surprised recently at the level of some scenes in Jurassic World, especially when the terrordatil, pteradactyl flying Dinos attack.
Quote from: Satanist on 24 September, 2015, 12:51:05 PM
I was surprised recently at the level of some scenes in Jurassic World, especially when the terrordatil, pteradactyl flying Dinos attack.
Worse than the most heroic character in JP2 getting graphically pulled apart by two tyrannosaurs? But yeah, the pterosaur attack was a bit brutal (and also competely ludicrous) - although my 5yr old daughter thought it was great, which is the point, I suppose.
While I can't remember ever being really scared of a film, I was quite traumatised by a Flash Gordon trading card that came free in a box of Weetabix.
It was an image from the film where Flash is in the swamp and gets attacked by a tomatoey looking spider thing. It gets about 2 seconds of screen time, but the image on the card struck a chord with me and I found the idea of being slowly swallowed by a giant swamp tomato creature really disturbing.
Quote from: Satanist on 24 September, 2015, 12:51:05 PM
I was surprised recently at the level of some scenes in Jurassic World, especially when the terrordatil, pteradactyl flying Dinos attack.
I just go with flying reptile if I can't recall the spelling and I can't be bothered to
Google this. Never made it to the last installment of
Jurassic Park. Was it truly that bad?
Dinosaurs and reptiles, how different are they both from each other. Are the former really warm blooded? Now I thought about why they died out and figured on the ice-age instant freezing them, but I also figured nothing would survive what was going on at that time.
Weren't all the Star Wars films a 'U' cert when released? I doubt they'd get that today.
I think people tend to overly molly-coddle their kids these days.
I see parents following their kids around in the park saying "Be careful! You'll fall!" and being poised to catch them as though they will stumble at any moment.
If you keep doing that, you'll just end up raising a timid, frightened milksop who never challenges themselves and stays in their comfort zone. Leave them alone! They probably won't fall, and even if they do, they won't die.
Also, don't worry about them watching people being eaten alive by dinosaurs. Unless your specific child doesn't like seeing that sort of thing of course. Otherwise, it will probably do them less harm than fussing over them.
QuoteWhile I can't remember ever being really scared of a film, I was quite traumatised by a Flash Gordon trading card that came free in a box of Weetabix.
I remember being quite frightened by that scene in Flash Gordon (and the scene with Peter Duncan putting his hand in the tree stump and being stung) and loved it.
That stuff stays with you.
also, watching the film now it is funny that as a kid you just didn't see how gloriously camp the who;le thing was.
http://www.starwars7news.com/2015/09/ride-across-jakku-in-a-speeder.html
impressive.
The thing for me is that, to my jaded eyes, modern screen violence - especially in blockbusters - just feels so sanitised and lacks any impact, no matter how brutal the act being portrayed. I think this is a combination of poor filmmaking and the ever-increasingly clean, overly digital look of films in general.
In the case of something like Jurassic World, for me that film was utterly lacking in tension, so the violence, when it happened, didn't land. The scenes of the flying dinos picking off tourists just looked like people running around in front of a green screen. None of the violence in that film felt remotely visceral to me. It just wasn't effective. Likewise all the Hobbit films, or the Star Wars prequels vs the originals. Digital blood spurts in modern action movies vs squibs in classic action movies.
apparently,max von sydow's character has been named...we still don't know who he is exactly but there you go.
and on a side note,just picked up my first order snowtrooper,he rocks! like him better than the original.
Quote from: Grugz on 24 September, 2015, 07:43:07 PM
apparently,max von sydow's character has been named...we still don't know who he is exactly but there you go.
and on a side note,just picked up my first order snowtrooper,he rocks! like him better than the original.
What's his name then? Fargo?
Fingers crossed. Darth Ming.
With beard, he could looks like Alec Guinness...
Quote from: Grugz on 24 September, 2015, 07:43:07 PM
and on a side note,just picked up my first order snowtrooper,he rocks! like him better than the original.
Yeah, the new snowtroopers are by far the best of the revised designs - that shiny blank facemask is awesome.
Completely agree on the snow trooper, managed to get one last Saturday and he's immediately gone to my top three of black series 6 inch to date.
Quote from: sheridan on 24 September, 2015, 08:33:30 PM
Quote from: Grugz on 24 September, 2015, 07:43:07 PM
apparently,max von sydow's character has been named...we still don't know who he is exactly but there you go.
and on a side note,just picked up my first order snowtrooper,he rocks! like him better than the original.
What's his name then? Fargo?
Doh! that excited about my snowtrooper I forgot to put that!! ( big brownie points to the wife for taking me all the way back to tru to pick him up,,,treated the family to kfc) he is......drumroll....LOR SAN TEKKA!!!!!
[spoiler]according to some rumours he's known as the vicar who gets the sabre from the start and gets killed early on[/spoiler]
Whilst we wait for the new film....
The Rebel Blockade Runner miniature from the opening credits to A New Hope Star Wars is up for grabs...
(http://i.imgur.com/lkmPerF.jpg)
HERE (http://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/ldquo-blockade-runner-rdquo-filming-miniature-f-1543-c-d824c5aa27?campaign=rr)
Oh man, that looks amazing!!! Z
wonder if it still has the star wars poster and the pin up in the cockpit?
PJ Holden posted this link to the official poster today on Twitter.
http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster.jpg (http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster.jpg)
Fixed for you;
(http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster.jpg)
IS that Death Star??? And why Oscar Isaac looks horrible!
(http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster.jpg)
Wot no Luke?
he's not woken up yet.
Quote from: Goaty on 18 October, 2015, 07:16:23 PM
IS that Death Star???
I do hope not. We've had two films* with that in already!
Oh, okay, if they deal with it all right and leave it alone in the sequels I guess I won't mind too much.
*And will have three when the prequel.. or should it be inbetweenequel Rogue Squadron film comes out. Although I don't mind that so much as [spoiler]how the rebels got the plans to the original Death Star plans could be interesting.[/spoiler] But Death Star Mark 3... no thank you.
Here three teasers of new footage that should be out tomorrow;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxk8OW8cQTw (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxk8OW8cQTw)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ueMlJN26M (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8ueMlJN26M)
This is the best! This got me goosebumps! Love to see that in big screen!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL-bOeCdVvM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL-bOeCdVvM)
I fear my nerd-bone is broken. I feel nothing.
Except maybe mild relief that BB-8 sounds relatively okay, and mild disappointment that the superweapon planet looks so resolutely naff (of all the EU tripe they could have mined for ideas, why did it have to be [spoiler]the bloody Galaxy Gun[/spoiler]?)
Looks like I may not be fully engaged until I actually get to the cinema, unless tomorrow's trailer works miracles.
Quote from: Tordelback on 18 October, 2015, 10:50:23 PMthe superweapon planet looks so resolutely naff (of all the EU tripe they could have mined for ideas, why did it have to be [spoiler]the bloody Galaxy Gun[/spoiler]?)
It was all ready a naff idea when it re-appeared half-built in ROTJ; it's located on the 'good' side of the poster this time round so the twist seems to be that the Rebels are in control, maybe. Still, at least it might be enough erzats SW so's not to bore us into self-harm like the prequels.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 18 October, 2015, 11:01:41 PM...it's located on the 'good' side of the poster this time round so the twist seems to be that the Rebels are in control, maybe...
I fear you might be reading too much into that placement... note the Stormtroopers, TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers further down the page. Shame, because that
would be a cool twist (even though, again, already done in the EU - twice, I think).
Quote from: Tordelback on 18 October, 2015, 11:09:55 PMI fear you might be reading too much into that placement... note the Stormtroopers, TIE Fighters and Star Destroyers further down the page. Shame, because that would be a cool twist (even though, again, already done in the EU - twice, I think).
True, I'm reaching.
Ewww a proto Death Starlet.
Third time lucky I guess.
Dunk!
Okay, let's get positive: as well as no Luke, no sign of Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson or Max von Sydow's characters, despite all appearing on the credits below. I'm assuming Lupita Nyongo's character is the little guy beside R2, but that's only because we know she's playing all-CGI. Interesting choices on display here, so - obviously we already know what Our Domhnall's character looks like, but the others?
Also interesting that Gewndolyne Christie doesn't get her name on the line, suggesting Captain Phasma may not be the significant figure she's appeared to be so far.
Then there's the mystery of Finn with Luke's sabre, but Rey being centerstage - which one of them is carrying on the Skywalker legacy?
It's clear JJ is still intent on keeping those cards close to his chest, and he's doing a remarkably good job of it.
And then coming back to that superweapon: I suppose one good way to keep your plans under wraps is to build your big gun within a planet, and only reveal it at the right time. I wonder will the planet be mobile, hence the snow and ice we see in the trailers, at it wanders far from its sun zapping things. And then further, I wonder if one of the more temperate planets we have already seen might be the same one, before it departs? That could make for some pretty dramatic visuals.
Quote from: Tordelback on 18 October, 2015, 11:32:36 PM
I'm assuming Lupita Nyongo's character is the little guy beside R2
Pod-Racer back for revenge against the Skywalker clan.
Tatooine, yet not Tatooine. Check.
Hoth, yet not Hoth. Check.
Endor, yet not Endor. Check.
R2D2, yet not R2D2. Check.
Darth Vader, yet not Darth Vadar. Check.
Death Star, yet not Death Star. Check.
Pavlovian response. Check.
Dunk!
JJA is very fond of retreading ground already covered, as anyone who's watched all of Alias can tell you - or if that seems too much of a time investment, just watch his two Trek movies and note that Kirk is on a quest to defeat his father's killer in both - so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if we got a Death Star redux, only "with a twist" like JJA did with Kahn in Star Trek Into Darkness. And everything else in Star Trek Into Darkness.
Often as I lie staring at the ceiling contemplating all possible The Force Awakenses, I fervently wish I had never watched or even heard of Star Trek Into Darkness.
"No but wait, it's clever because this bit is just like that bit, only reversed! Only sometimes it isn't, it's exactly the same - that's what creates the tension! Get it? Get it? Hang on, why is she standing there in her pants?"
It's not often one hopes for corporate interference.
(https://i.imgur.com/FvUlrpf.jpg)
"Gungans get pasted too, eh?"
Some people work fast, no doubt about it, but this would have been a masterwork if they had swapped Chewie for Mala or Lumpy.
The poster is very... amber and teal (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OrangeBlueContrast). Let's hope the film has more colours in it.
Quote from: sheridan on 19 October, 2015, 02:03:39 AM
The poster is very... amber and teal (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OrangeBlueContrast). Let's hope the film has more colours in it.
From the look of all the teasers I don't think you need to worry about that.
Okay. This is a REAL spoiler, so only look if you want to know.
[spoiler]Luke's not featuring much in the promo material because he's hardly in the film at all. There's a flashback scene showing him in a previous battle, and then he appears right at the end just before the credits. Luke and Han don't meet.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 October, 2015, 12:27:26 AM"No but wait, it's clever because this bit is just like that bit, only reversed! Only sometimes it isn't, it's exactly the same"
It's fanservice!
Because when you've successfully reinvented a property for a new audience, the most important thing to do next is to stuff it full of references to the way it used to be to the point it is even more self-referential than
parodies of the way it used to be.
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 October, 2015, 12:27:26 AM
Often as I lie staring at the ceiling contemplating all possible The Force Awakenses, I fervently wish I had never watched or even heard of Star Trek Into Darkness.
"No but wait, it's clever because this bit is just like that bit, only reversed! Only sometimes it isn't, it's exactly the same - that's what creates the tension! Get it? Get it? Hang on, why is she standing there in her pants?"
It's not often one hopes for corporate interference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxU2eqZtYmc
The one thing that genuinely makes me pause about these new movies - as opposed to making me want to take the piss because it is fun to do so - is that there seems to be an undercurrent in the marketing that Lucas was (in the prequel trilogy) the architect of some great failure rather than a guy who made some mid-budget sci-fi movies that made several billion dollars and relaunched a dead franchise. Not being made by George Lucas and using models instead of CGI didn't make Starcrash a better movie.
Tickets are on sale now. I think this link only works for UK cinemas but I've just used it to book tickets. https://filmbooking.findanyfilm.com/index.php/movie/pyw5z9fd/m
Quote from: Zombear on 19 October, 2015, 09:52:57 AM
...there seems to be an undercurrent in the marketing that Lucas was (in the prequel trilogy) the architect of some great failure rather than a guy who made some mid-budget sci-fi movies that made several billion dollars and relaunched a dead franchise.
Oh grud yes, this^^^^.
I just can't get my head round the "A. B. Lucas=good" thing. They were good-looking rubbish to be sure, but I can't get my ahead around the dominant notion that the prequels were some kind of appalling flop, instead of merely the tip of a multibillion dollar and mutimedia content tsunami, that many millions of kids and not a few adults really enjoyed, and continue to enjoy (just visit a SW Con, and count the Clone Troopers and Prequel-Jedi), and yet this so-far-apparently-wholly-derivative-of-Lucas-but-somehow-Lucas-free practical-FX-heavy-but-still-loads-of-CGI is by definition going to be ace.
I recently sat with my kids and watched the return of Captain Rex in
Rebels, a prequel-era character from the heavily-derided Clone Wars 'movie', a clone-brother of the ret-conned Boba Fett, a trooper type completely realised with CGI in teh awful AotC, and then in animation in a show heavily steered by Lucas in person.
A more prequelly character you could not imagine.
My kids actually cheered when they saw him in his silly old-man beard.
Lucas pulled a hell of a stroke getting SW started again with the Sepcial Editions in '97, and then keeping it on the boil non-stop for the succeeding 17 years. No fool, that man.
I suppose it's down to whether people think the films themselves are objectively successful, separately from a marketing machine. Lots of people watched The Hobbit. That doesn't mean it's any good.
My take is that Lucas with the original films was great at initial ideas, but worked better when he had others around making a lot of the decisions regarding scripting, some aspects of plotting, and so on. With the last three, everything felt so hackneyed and dull. Also: he just can't stop fiddling. And the problem with fiddling is you just shift your film's look to a slightly different era (and, in the case of the original trilogy, one that sometimes actually looks worse).
I'm sure everyone realises that the prequels weren't a commercial failure.
As adverts for the Lucasfilm licensing machine they were fine.
As entertaining, satisfying films which gave history and context to things people had been wondering about for a couple of decades (the Clone Wars) they were pretty woeful.
Despite that, there was goodwill towards the franchise throughout. Everyone wanted them to be good. I think that optimism remains and we're seeing it once again here. People will latch on to any ray of hope that the franchise will return to past glories whether it be something positive like the casting of a great actor (people were hyped when Chris Lee was cast as Dooku) or something negative like pinning all the blame on Lucas and breathing a sigh of relief when he hands over the reins.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 19 October, 2015, 08:26:58 AM
Okay. This is a REAL spoiler, so only look if you want to know.
[spoiler]Luke's not featuring much in the promo material because he's hardly in the film at all. There's a flashback scene showing him in a previous battle, and then he appears right at the end just before the credits. Luke and Han don't meet.[/spoiler]
Thanks for checking your spoiler tags worked. That's just great.
Quote from: blackmocco on 19 October, 2015, 04:13:52 PM
Quote from: Spaceghost on 19 October, 2015, 08:26:58 AM
Okay. This is a REAL spoiler, so only look if you want to know.
[spoiler]Luke's not featuring much in the promo material because he's hardly in the film at all. There's a flashback scene showing him in a previous battle, and then he appears right at the end just before the credits. Luke and Han don't meet.[/spoiler]
Thanks for checking your spoiler tags worked. That's just great.
They did work. I read the post earlier, before the Forum migration which may have caused it to happen.
Cheers
notice in the poster rey and kylo ren seem to mirror each other? possible rumour gaining some truth perhaps?
Quote from: NapalmKev on 19 October, 2015, 04:21:57 PM
Quote from: blackmocco on 19 October, 2015, 04:13:52 PM
Quote from: Spaceghost on 19 October, 2015, 08:26:58 AM
Okay. This is a REAL spoiler, so only look if you want to know.
[spoiler]Luke's not featuring much in the promo material because he's hardly in the film at all. There's a flashback scene showing him in a previous battle, and then he appears right at the end just before the credits. Luke and Han don't meet.[/spoiler]
It definitely worked before the migration so not much he could do about it.
Thanks for checking your spoiler tags worked. That's just great.
They did work. I read the post earlier, before the Forum migration which may have caused it to happen.
Cheers
Stop quoting the spoiler please - I'm doing my damnest to ignore it!
Spoiler tags are broken at present chaps, best to avoid several threads for now.
Bloody hell. The spoilers DID work before the migration.
Can one of the mods delete my original post and all the posts that quote it, I don't want to be responsible for ruining the film for people avoiding spoilers.
Too late!
Phew, thanks for the warnings everyone! Now I must avoid the his thread like the spice mines of Kessel until the spoiler situation is resolved.
If that spoiler's true it's sucktastic news. :(
The trailer is out there ladies and gentlemen!
If there's one thing, at least, it's great to see something that seems to resemble acting and charisma in a Star Wars film again.
Yeah, that was okay, but hardly up there with any of the Prequel trailers (as trailers). Interesting how the opening dialogue mirrors that of the Star Trek (2009) teaser.
So. The cast seems pretty damn good, everything looks lushly lit and gorgeous, and there's a satisfying rightness in having Han turn from doubting-spaceThomas to Keeper of the Flame, but there still isn't one single new thing that realy grabs me: all the tasty treats are the teensiet of tweeks to existing elements slotted into new action sequences, as if someone had unlocked Director mode in Battlefront and gone to town on a fan film. My heart sank a little when those suspiciously familiar X-Wings headed for that suspiciously familiar trench on what I assume is that suspiciously familiar superweapon planet from the poster.
On the positive side, if the stage and the props are samey, the characters stand out well. I definitely want to know more about Rey and Finn and BB8, and Han and Leia, even if I find Poe and especially Kylo Ren a bit underwhelming thus far.
But then we still have so many big pieces kept deliberately hidden: Ren's master, Luke himself, new aliens and hives of scum and villainy. I should admire this uncommon restraint, I suppose.
I wonder if JJ hasn't left the choke in a bit too long in his obsession with his mystery boxes.
Quote from: Goaty on 18 October, 2015, 07:16:23 PM
IS that Death Star??? And why Oscar Isaac looks horrible!
(http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/10/star-wars-force-awakens-official-poster.jpg)
Death Star....that big one and you know what I might be talking about there. (http://forums.2000adonline.com/Smileys/default/lol.gif)
Are
Leia partially obscured behind
Han and was wondering if there are any better shots of her.
Pity about
Luke unless he's one of the armoured troopers (Which I really doubt!) or that other guy who is always wearing armour and cloak like
Vader.
Somebody want to but the latest trailer up there...I know I have seen it trice and still undecided what I think of it. Like, I like the brief clip of the
Falcon being chased by some Imperial ships and pretty close to ground (Just like I used to drive!) of some desert canyon.
I'm going to look of more pictures of
Leia.
http://youtu.be/sGbxmsDFVnE (http://youtu.be/sGbxmsDFVnE)
Leia &
Han at 1:56 and this....
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/07/11/04/2A6E980000000578-3157063-Still_a_princess_Carrie_Fisher_58_could_be_seen_back_in_her_role-m-11_1436586352223.jpg)
loved that ! cant wait for december
That is perfect final trailer! No plot spoiler!!
So I've been thinking.
What I haven't really considered before are the implications of this movie being the start of a third trilogy. Effectively this changes our understanding of RotJ, like it or not. Far from being a triumphant conclusion of the Skywalker or Jedi vs. Sith stories, it was just the close of the second act, and Luke, Han and Leia's victories are of necessity small ones. Luke's mission to reestablish the Jedi (as assigned by Yoda) and restore the Republic (Leia's gig) are not just the stuff of 'happily ever after', they are ongoing struggles. I've been seeing these things as being 'undone'or ignored by the new movie, annoyingly so, but if it's all now recast as a middle chapter, that's just silly. There was no happy ending to ruin, because there was another trilogy to go.
Hopefully this shift in attitude, this Lucasian retconning to the fantasy that 'it was always meant to be in 9 parts' will help me enjoy all this more. And in this spirit we go forward.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 09:44:52 AM
Hopefully this shift in attitude, this Lucasian retconning to the fantasy that 'it was always meant to be in 9 parts' will help me enjoy all this more. And in this spirit we go forward.
I thought it originally
was meant to be nine movies, and Lucas then characteristically changed his mind but pretended that it was
never meant to be nine movies and only a liar or a fool would suggest that he ever said such a thing...
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 October, 2015, 09:52:09 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 09:44:52 AM
Hopefully this shift in attitude, this Lucasian retconning to the fantasy that 'it was always meant to be in 9 parts' will help me enjoy all this more. And in this spirit we go forward.
I thought it originally was meant to be nine movies, and Lucas then characteristically changed his mind but pretended that it was never meant to be nine movies and only a liar or a fool would suggest that he ever said such a thing...
I think it's gone back and forth that way a few times now. I maintain that the original 'three trilogies' claim is bullshit, while not denying that his notebooks indicate George had some nebulous Herberty/Asimovian future fantasy history in mind from which he extracted the original, only ever meant to be one, plot of the first Star Wars, or that once he saw which way the wind was blowing he made that '9 episodes' claim, and then denied it, then denied denying it, then made three more movies, then denied the original denial and subsequent re-denials, then... well you get the picture.
It's 9 movies now, and we've always been at war with Korriban. I'll adjust my thinking again when it becomes 12.
Lovely moments, like this;
(https://33.media.tumblr.com/ccfac78eb25274ad7f0eb7fdaab75a90/tumblr_nwhzfulVv51s6lnnho1_500.gif)
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 10:04:00 AM
well you get the picture.
I'll confess my understanding of this is based entirely on an edition of Saturday Superstore in 1980, where Dave Prowse was plugging the upcoming Empire Strikes Back and mentioned in passing that his contract committed him to seven more films. You're probably right — I don't think nine was ever really more than a number Lucas plucked out of the air because he liked the idea of three trilogies...
Cheers!
Jim
They mentioned on the radio SW:TFA could have a bigger opening than Avatar's. Walt Disney will be heiling the Fuhrer in his grave.
One thing I notice about this trailer, very very few shots in Space? and lots of fights in the skies. Is this film a biggest advert for Battlefront game??
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 October, 2015, 10:17:59 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 10:04:00 AM
well you get the picture.
I'll confess my understanding of this is based entirely on an edition of Saturday Superstore in 1980, where Dave Prowse was plugging the upcoming Empire Strikes Back and mentioned in passing that his contract committed him to seven more films. You're probably right — I don't think nine was ever really more than a number Lucas plucked out of the air because he liked the idea of three trilogies...
It's pretty fascinating how the "three trilogies" concept is received wisdom amongst almost anybody of a certain age without (TB's in depth analysis notwithstanding) it ever being written down anywhere.
See also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
I'm also heartened not to recognise any of the new names in TB's lengthy summary post from a couple of days back, meaning I've managed to inadvertently keep the sequels as fresh as the prequels. Go me.
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 October, 2015, 11:26:07 AM
It's pretty fascinating how the "three trilogies" concept is received wisdom amongst almost anybody of a certain age without (TB's in depth analysis notwithstanding) it ever being written down anywhere.
I can't remember the source, one of numerous geeky pages I follow on Facebook most likely, but I recently read a vintage interview with George Lucas around the time that Empire was released, wherein he states categorically that there are 9 films planned for the series.
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 October, 2015, 11:26:07 AM
See also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
The reason I knew this is that it was in the ROTJ novelisation. It probably disseminated throughout the playground from other such book-worms.
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 June, 1970, 07:49:27 AMSee also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
Yeah, it's in the novelization of RotJ, along with the 'info' that Owen Lars is Ben's brother. You'll find that many of the truths we cling to depend on a
certain point of view radio play, comic or novelization.
I'd be almost certain the 'three trilogies' thing was in a newspaper puff piece interview with Lucas for Empire that I had stuck to my wall until it literally fell apart. My whole problem is that the 'core story' of the Skywalker family and redemption is pretty much the only thing that really isn't in the drafts or notebook excerpts we've seen: it emerged through the secondand third films. I don't think the outline ever went beyond Fall of the Roman Republic in Space with Samurai Monks from Dune. The decision to say it would run for 9 parts was arbitrary. But we're here now, may as well roll with it.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 11:48:57 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 June, 1970, 07:49:27 AMSee also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
Yeah, it's in the novelization of RotJ, along with the 'info' that Owen Lars is Ben's brother. You'll find that many of the truths we cling to depend on a certain point of view radio play, comic or novelization.
Aha. I definitely had that and, much to my father's disapproval, read it before seeing the film.
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 October, 2015, 11:58:14 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 11:48:57 AM
Quote from: The Cosh on 17 June, 1970, 07:49:27 AMSee also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
Yeah, it's in the novelization of RotJ, along with the 'info' that Owen Lars is Ben's brother. You'll find that many of the truths we cling to depend on a certain point of view radio play, comic or novelization.
Aha. I definitely had that and, much to my father's disapproval, read it before seeing the film.
Heh, me too! In my case, it was my mother that disapproved of my self-inflicted proto-spoilers. I must have read the novelization for most movies before I saw them back then - ET being a particular source of confusion, since it's significantly different to the film.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 12:04:54 PM
ET being a particular source of confusion, since it's significantly different to the film.
ISTR at least part of the novel was narrated using the family dog as the POV character...
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 12:04:54 PM
Heh, me too! In my case, it was my mother that disapproved of my self-inflicted proto-spoilers. I must have read the novelization for most movies before I saw them back then - ET being a particular source of confusion, since it's significantly different to the film.
Jedi was a one-off for me and I don't think I've ever seen ET all the way through. Certainly never saw it at the time. Which now strikes me as a bit odd.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 October, 2015, 09:52:09 AM
I thought it originally was meant to be nine movies, and Lucas then characteristically changed his mind but pretended that it was never meant to be nine movies and only a liar or a fool would suggest that he ever said such a thing...
The 9 part saga bit of marketing (previously 12 parts with placeholder titles) seemed a sketchy bunch of fluid story ideas thrown about around the time of Empire between Lucas, Kurtz and Kasdan; the idea, apparently in Kurtz mind, was that Luke would defeat Vader in ROTJ then go looking for his sister (not Leia) in Ep.7 then face the Emperor in Ep.9.
Kurtz left Lucasfilm feeling his time had come while Lucas' marriage was falling apart so I make a large assumption in thinking that he became jaded by the whole thing and decided to cut short the precarious "9 part saga" and wrap it up in ROTJ.
Of course when I was a nipper I took it as gospel there would be more Star Wars films. I remember when I was around 10, when the interest was nosediving and you could get brand new figures for 50p in the local market (e.g. Yak Face. For 50p!), a friend said new ones were definitely on the way in the next couple of years as 'it [was] meant to be nine films'.
As I got older, I rationalised the numbering of the Holy Trinity as being a nice conceit to suggest you missed the start, and the end is yet to come. Helped to foster the timeless nature it had in my heart. Anyway, the trailers for the new film have been superb stuff and I've managed so far to resist buying any new tat. The pain of remembering the prequel debacle has yet to subside and induces caution to this day :|
I may be misremembering but I'm pretty sure I got the info about Obi-Wan and Vader and a lava pit from a poster magazine - probably around the time of Empire Strikes Back.
And again, my wrong headedness thinks it was a poster magazine around the time of Star Wars that explained that Stormtroopers were clones before we knew they were clones (but not really).
I can't recall SITH appearing anywhere other than poster magazines originally either - but I may be doing Alan Dean Foster's Star Wars novelisation (and his Kaiburr Cyrtsal sequel) a dis-service with all of the above.
The poster magazine/lava pit rings a bell.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 October, 2015, 12:19:49 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 20 October, 2015, 09:52:09 AM
I thought it originally was meant to be nine movies, and Lucas then characteristically changed his mind but pretended that it was never meant to be nine movies and only a liar or a fool would suggest that he ever said such a thing...
The 9 part saga bit of marketing (previously 12 parts with placeholder titles) seemed a sketchy bunch of fluid story ideas thrown about around the time of Empire between Lucas, Kurtz and Kasdan; the idea, apparently in Kurtz mind, was that Luke would defeat Vader in ROTJ then go looking for his sister (not Leia) in Ep.7 then face the Emperor in Ep.9.
Kurtz left Lucasfilm feeling his time had come while Lucas' marriage was falling apart so I make a large assumption in thinking that he became jaded by the whole thing and decided to cut short the precarious "9 part saga" and wrap it up in ROTJ.
Nice info! Certainly gels with my own recollection of the timing of the 'concept', but I certainly hadn't realised Kurtz was such a big element in its fate. Still say the whole 'saga' idea emerged on the fly, which makes it even more irritating that the prequels mesh so poorly with the the originals - if it was all maleable and up for grabs, surely it could have been made to work with the only fixed points (the existing movies). As wittered about incessantly on here, I like TPM precisely because it ploughs its own furrow, and perhaps draws most closely on Lucas leftover jottings, the genuine 'untold story': the closer the prequels get to Episode IV, the less I like them, and the more they seem to think that leaving the pieces exactly where we find them later is the same as creating a satisfying story.
EDIT: Tips is correct: 'Sith' appears in the ADF novelisation of Star Wars (along with Palpatine's name - though not the 'Sheev' part), in the sense that Darth Vader is described as being the most sinister of many 'Dark Lords of the Sith'. The 'clone trooper' thing I seem to recall comes from the Donald F Glut novelisation of Empire, in reference to Boba Fett's armour. The lava pit is claimed by James Kahn (of thed RotJ novelisation) as having been described to him by Lucas - but that's not to say he didn't say it to someone else first.
I had a Star Wars photo story book (still have it actually) from 1977 which describes Vader as a "dark lord of the Sith", but no explanation was given as to what a Sith lord was.
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 October, 2015, 11:26:07 AM
See also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
First action figure I ever brought was
Power-Droid.....
(http://forum.rebelscum.com/photogallery/data/500/medium/Picture251.jpg)
Last one I ever got was
Lak Sivak...
(http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/wHQAAOSwVL1WDCNV/s-l225.jpg)
I must have got the first one roughly some time during the time of one of the first two films. I just have a vague memory of picking that little droid, because general interest in that type of thing and not so much with
Star Wars, but I'm still a fan. While the last one was a recent purchase made during the last couple of years through a search on
Ebay. Which came from general interest in
Were-Wolves (Yous should know that!) and now I'm wondering if
George Lucas was short on alien props and borrowed a Wolf-Man mask or suit to top of the ranks of other weird and wonderful aliens.
In between those, I have
R2D2, Darth-Vader, (Missing his cape and Light-Sabre!)
Bossk, Greedo, (Weapon Lost and was my favourite, used to carry it around everywhere. Use to pretend he was mer-man type of creature!)
IG88, (Weapon Lost!) 2 or 3
Storm-Troopers, (In Snow-Trooper Armour and without their weapons!),
Recon-Droid (From
ESB and it's kind of broken!) and
Chewbacca, (Which got a cracked head after carrying it around in my back pocket and sitting on it!)
My favourite ones are the
Max Rebo in his circular keyboard set up,
Sy-Snootles on microphone and the big fat dopey looking alien again with a wind instrument that went missing as well!)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA4NVgxNTk5/z/oQIAAOSwDNdVsppm/$_35.JPG)
These are a favourite of mine as well.
As for rest, which I might as well add on.....
Milleinium Falcon model made from plastic that needs to be assembled and glued together. I think the legs might be retractable, the satellite dish swivels, the cock-pit has little plastic figures of
Han and
Chewie glued to the seats inside and it lights up inside and the semi-circular repulsar set-up round the back lights up as well. I think my father and I got most of this finished or fully completed. Otherwise I don't know why we might have stopped working on that bucket of bolts.
Some motorbike like conveyance shaped like a aero-plane or boat shaped pod on two roller shaped wheels (You might think it's a
Law-Master that was built for riding on snow.) It's obviously a vechile from
ESB and the strange about it is that it's top-heavy until you press down on the thing. The wheels spread out at both ends for a steadier ride and would spring back up again as soon as I took my hand off of it. I don't remember anything like this in the film or any of them.
Last thing is a model of one of those
AT-AT's from
ROTJ that also needed to be assembled and glued together. At some stage, I just stuck a sticker of a coat of arms from some other medieval themed model toy that I had been given by my parents. (In case the Imperials had it stolen by some Feudal-faction!) It was broken last time I saw it and might have been thrown out.
That's all I got for that
Sci-Fi franchise and now, I wondering
The Cosh thought that
Star-Wars action figures directly proportional to the brain cells of their owners or a replacement for
Midichlorians of their owners. I better explanation for source of power of the force in my opinion.
More about the Power-Droid, it was either lost or stolen as I had always kept them all in a shoe-box somewhere and now have them on a shelf.
I really upset about this as it did mean quite a lot to me and have since had it replaced with another I got via Ebay and it came to me in little plastic zip line bag and not the blister-pack glued to some flat cardboard backing with a photo of the real droid as well. At least it was in the same condition, maybe even the same one. Who knows......
That "zoom in on CGI spaceship, follow it, then zoom in again" shot is really starting to get on my fucking nerves now.
Still, whatever TFA turns out to be like, it will give us more Lego Star Wars games and no-one can take that away from it.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 20 October, 2015, 12:45:00 PM
I may be misremembering but I'm pretty sure I got the info about Obi-Wan and Vader and a lava pit from a poster magazine - probably around the time of Empire Strikes Back.
I believe the original source of the lava pit story is actually the original, Alan Dean Foster ghostwritten novelization of ANH (
Star Wars: from the Adventures of Luke Skywalker).
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 12:53:52 PM
the closer the prequels get to Episode IV, the less I like them, and the more they seem to think that leaving the pieces exactly where we find them later is the same as creating a satisfying story.
One of the many sins of the Hobbit movies - and if you watch any of the extras you can see that cast and crew have all been pre-programmed to say the same phrase - is this obsession with making it fit "like the last piece of a jigsaw". Really? Did we need Legolas' dad to explicitly tell him to go "seek out a ranger?".
How about switch off your thoughts and enjoy the film at Xmas?
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 20 October, 2015, 01:47:57 PMDid we need Legolas' dad to explicitly tell him to go "seek out a ranger?".
I could
almost have lived with that (after emitting a little groan of despair), but he
goes on to say "Strider, they call him" - thus gutting the (tenuously potential) suspense of whether Strider is a goodie or baddie in Fellowship, in the very unlikely event that someone tries to watch all six for the first time in order and actually gets that far. Never mind that Aragorn is just a child at the time (in the books at least - there's some question over Jackson's timeline, since he compresses the Fellowship storyline by about a decade, and thus Aragorn could conceivably be in his 20's at the time of BotFA), and while he may well be known to the elves due to his lineage and having grown up in Rivendell, he certainly hasn't had time to earn the local nickname of a suspicious wanderer in the borderlands.
Quote from: Goaty on 20 October, 2015, 02:13:38 PM
How about switch off your thoughts and enjoy the film at Xmas?
Hi Goaty, I'm Tordelback, I don't know if we've met before? Anyway, I basically can't bloody shut up, ever.
it's got stormtroopers,tie fighters,x-wings,lasers,lightsabres,han,chewie,leia,luke,deep voiced baddie in mask,star wars! I'm happy and sure i'll love it.
the line "the force is calling you,let it in" who's that to I wonder? finn? or luke as I heard rumours he'd let go of the force.we'll find out in December!
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 20 October, 2015, 01:47:57 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 12:53:52 PM
the closer the prequels get to Episode IV, the less I like them, and the more they seem to think that leaving the pieces exactly where we find them later is the same as creating a satisfying story.
One of the many sins of the Hobbit movies - and if you watch any of the extras you can see that cast and crew have all been pre-programmed to say the same phrase - is this obsession with making it fit "like the last piece of a jigsaw". Really? Did we need Legolas' dad to explicitly tell him to go "seek out a ranger?".
That's exactly the kind of thing that bugs me about prequels. Just tell an interesting story, you don't have to 'set up' every single aspect of the original film, the audience can join the dots. The most egregious example of this for me was also in a Hobbit movie, where we're treated to the origin of the sign on bilbo's gate from Fellowship. The last five minutes of Revenge of the Sith are also pretty heavy-handed.
As for the new trailer, it's very hard not to be caught up by the hype, but I'm doing my best to remain cynical. However it does give me some hope that all the trailers so far have some really nice little warm human moments that for me stand out over the spectacle and glimpses of familiar faces - in this case Poe tapping a bewildered Finn on the shoulder.
There's a #boycottstarwars7 hashtag* that's a parody meme now, but started out** as an expression of fanboy anger that straight white men*** have been sidelined in the new film because of Social Justice Warriors and Feminazis ruining everything so that Muslims can take over. A compelling argument I am sure you will agree, but I am disappointed that it didn't start because of anything inherently hilarious**** like Han Solo/Expanded Universe fanboy butthurt. It would just be the greatest thing ever if there were people boycotting possibly the movie event of a generation on the basis that Chewbacca can't be killed off in a movie because he was already killed off in a book they'll never read. A BOOK FOR NERDS.
* because of course there is.
** if you visit Twitter at the right time you can see some still sticking to the original brief.
*** who, you will remember, are the most oppressed minority in modern society.
**** as opposed to sad.
Quote from: Zombear on 20 October, 2015, 01:38:40 PM
That "zoom in on CGI spaceship, follow it, then zoom in again" shot is really starting to get on my fucking nerves now.
CGI, you say? Surely not! I expect nothing less than painfully hand-assembled mattes and multiple exposures of models using only original Dykstraflex Vista Vision cameras. But obviously looking absolutely clean and flawless. No unintentional transparencies, jerkiness, hairs or matte lines. Otherwise Disney will be refunding me my ticket.
I've watched this thing about 30 times now. It's a dense little confection to be sure.
I hope that wasn't a spoiler [spoiler]about Chewie[/spoiler] in the above post. Because that would be really annoying after managing to avoid the spoilers on the previous page after the Forum migration. >:( :(
I am doing my level best to not watch any more trailers or listen to any more gossip about this film. I've decided I'm going to try to capture the wonder my 7 year old self felt when I first saw Star Wars in 1977. I knew nothing about it then and I was blown away.
I think I may disconnect my internet on the 17 December until I've seen it on 18 December.
Quote from: JamesC on 20 October, 2015, 04:57:56 PM
I hope that wasn't a spoiler [spoiler]about Chewie[/spoiler] in the above post. Because that would be really annoying after managing to avoid the spoilers on the previous page after the Forum migration. >:( :(
Mere scuttlebutt and waffle respectively, James. Pay it no heed.
Quote from: JamesC on 20 October, 2015, 04:57:56 PM
I hope that wasn't a spoiler [spoiler]about Chewie[/spoiler] in the above post. Because that would be really annoying after managing to avoid the spoilers on the previous page after the Forum migration. >:( :(
I cannot say if such a thing happens to that character in the film, and I have certainly not read any spoilers which suggest such is the case. The lady type seems to be blubbing over someone's corpse in the trailer at one point, but it could be anyone.
chewie certainly gets injured as he's sporting a bandage on his arm but [spoiler]Han might be the one rey's blubbing over if rumours are true[/spoiler]
Out of curiosity I watched the trailer, and found myself wishing I had seen the original films for the first time in my life - which seems like a good measure of success!
Quote from: radiator on 20 October, 2015, 04:33:51 PM
...doing my best to remain cynical.
Me too, ;)
(http://i.imgur.com/R7evKLV.jpg)
Quote from: Spikes on 20 October, 2015, 06:13:04 PM
Quote from: radiator on 20 October, 2015, 04:33:51 PM
...doing my best to remain cynical.
Me too, ;)
(http://i.imgur.com/R7evKLV.jpg)
Indeed. Lucas was renowned in how studious he was in holding back on merchandising opportunities...
Well I am very much looking forward to seeing a Star Wars film in the cinema at Xmas with my 2 boys.
And after the prequels who the fuck would have thought that? Certainly not me so something must be getting done right.
I just took that as a general SW dig - this is (need I remind you) the belov'd space saga that changed a potentially massive major plot point for merchandise reasons alone (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105279-Han-Should-Have-Died-in-Return-of-the-Jedi-Says-Harrison-Ford)
Ha, that They Live'd poster is superb - creative folk are so quick off the mark these days.
So I spent a happy hour slow-mo'ing the trailer with The Boy over in my Forbidden Shed of Mystery (aka my office), and it's safe to say, much excitement was had and insight gained. Most pored-over bit was this:
(http://i.imgur.com/7sKn7Be.png)
Loving that scene, and all its implications. Not just one Kylo Ren, but seven of the gits, doing a sort of Dark Judges thing with different weapons and helmets, surrounded by bodies. The Boy (entirely unspoiled) reckons this is [spoiler]a flashback to the destruction of Luke's Jedi Academy, whereby we find all our Force-connected characters scattered in exile[/spoiler], and I'm not going to argue with him.
Mandalorian helmet there on the left hand side (as Musical Youth might've said).
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 20 October, 2015, 06:42:58 PM
I just took that as a general SW dig - this is (need I remind you) the belov'd space saga that changed a potentially massive major plot point for merchandise reasons alone (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/105279-Han-Should-Have-Died-in-Return-of-the-Jedi-Says-Harrison-Ford)
I'm not sure it's accurate to say that anything was changed. Harrison Ford wanted Han to be killed off, but it was never in any script.
[spoiler]If what I've read is accurate, the situation will be rectified in this new film anyway.[/spoiler]
The way I've heard/read it is that Ford enjoys working on Star Wars (with Lucas, at any rate), he just doesn't think that Han Solo is much of an acting gig. If anything, you'd expect him to want [spoiler]Han to be bumped off at the end of Episode IX.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Spaceghost on 20 October, 2015, 07:40:53 PM
I'm not sure it's accurate to say that anything was changed. Harrison Ford wanted Han to be killed off, but it was never in any script.
Not in any draft either. AFAICR Lucas maintained that the guy had to get the girl in the end, so once he'd decided the guy wasn't Luke, Han had to live. Luke OTOH was on the chopping block at one point, and I think Lando actually died in one draft. Have to get the Making Of... book for RotJ at some point.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 02:18:09 PM
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 20 October, 2015, 01:47:57 PMDid we need Legolas' dad to explicitly tell him to go "seek out a ranger?".
I could almost have lived with that (after emitting a little groan of despair), but he goes on to say "Strider, they call him" - thus gutting the (tenuously potential) suspense of whether Strider is a goodie or baddie in Fellowship, in the very unlikely event that someone tries to watch all six for the first time in order and actually gets that far. Never mind that Aragorn is just a child at the time (in the books at least - there's some question over Jackson's timeline, since he compresses the Fellowship storyline by about a decade, and thus Aragorn could conceivably be in his 20's at the time of BotFA), and while he may well be known to the elves due to his lineage and having grown up in Rivendell, he certainly hasn't had time to earn the local nickname of a suspicious wanderer in the borderlands.
Didn't you know, it's a fact that young
Aragorn (As a mere boy!) was known as the very first
Numenorean to have completed
Middle Earth - Shadow of Mordor (On his
Valar made
X-Box One!) and it was this alone that afforded him the appellation of
Strider - Greatest Ranger of the free lands and beyond. That way, he able to be the man he was suppose to be before he actually became a man.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 October, 2015, 12:53:52 PMStill say the whole 'saga' idea emerged on the fly, which makes it even more irritating that the prequels mesh so poorly with the the originals - if it was all maleable and up for grabs, surely it could have been made to work with the only fixed points (the existing movies). As wittered about incessantly on here, I like TPM precisely because it ploughs its own furrow, and perhaps draws most closely on Lucas leftover jottings, the genuine 'untold story': the closer the prequels get to Episode IV, the less I like them, and the more they seem to think that leaving the pieces exactly where we find them later is the same as creating a satisfying story.
Kurtz maintains there was enough story material for one and a half films from the original
tranche of material pre-ESB.
I think the worst decision -the obvious one- was making the Prequels about Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan - a story that had all ready been concisely told in the OT.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 20 October, 2015, 12:59:27 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 20 October, 2015, 11:26:07 AM
See also: I'd reckon that anyone who owned more than five Star Wars figures in 1983 absolutely knew for a fact that Darth Vader had sustained his horrific injuries by falling into a lava pit after a light saber duel with Obi Wan. But how did we know this?
First action figure I ever brought was Power-Droid.....
(http://forum.rebelscum.com/photogallery/data/500/medium/Picture251.jpg)
Last one I ever got was Lak Sivak...
(http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/wHQAAOSwVL1WDCNV/s-l225.jpg)
I must have got the first one roughly some time during the time of one of the first two films. I just have a vague memory of picking that little droid, because general interest in that type of thing and not so much with Star Wars, but I'm still a fan. While the last one was a recent purchase made during the last couple of years through a search on Ebay. Which came from general interest in Were-Wolves (Yous should know that!) and now I'm wondering if George Lucas was short on alien props and borrowed a Wolf-Man mask or suit to top of the ranks of other weird and wonderful aliens.
In between those, I have R2D2, Darth-Vader, (Missing his cape and Light-Sabre!) Bossk, Greedo, (Weapon Lost and was my favourite, used to carry it around everywhere. Use to pretend he was mer-man type of creature!) IG88, (Weapon Lost!) 2 or 3 Storm-Troopers, (In Snow-Trooper Armour and without their weapons!), Recon-Droid (From ESB and it's kind of broken!) and Chewbacca, (Which got a cracked head after carrying it around in my back pocket and sitting on it!)
My favourite ones are the Max Rebo in his circular keyboard set up, Sy-Snootles on microphone and the big fat dopey looking alien again with a wind instrument that went missing as well!)
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA4NVgxNTk5/z/oQIAAOSwDNdVsppm/$_35.JPG)
These are a favourite of mine as well.
As for rest, which I might as well add on.....
Milleinium Falcon model made from plastic that needs to be assembled and glued together. I think the legs might be retractable, the satellite dish swivels, the cock-pit has little plastic figures of Han and Chewie glued to the seats inside and it lights up inside and the semi-circular repulsar set-up round the back lights up as well. I think my father and I got most of this finished or fully completed. Otherwise I don't know why we might have stopped working on that bucket of bolts.
Some motorbike like conveyance shaped like a aero-plane or boat shaped pod on two roller shaped wheels (You might think it's a Law-Master that was built for riding on snow.) It's obviously a vechile from ESB and the strange about it is that it's top-heavy until you press down on the thing. The wheels spread out at both ends for a steadier ride and would spring back up again as soon as I took my hand off of it. I don't remember anything like this in the film or any of them.
Last thing is a model of one of those AT-AT's from ROTJ that also needed to be assembled and glued together. At some stage, I just stuck a sticker of a coat of arms from some other medieval themed model toy that I had been given by my parents. (In case the Imperials had it stolen by some Feudal-faction!) It was broken last time I saw it and might have been thrown out.
That's all I got for that Sci-Fi franchise and now, I wondering The Cosh thought that Star-Wars action figures directly proportional to the brain cells of their owners or a replacement for Midichlorians of their owners. I better explanation for source of power of the force in my opinion.
After going back into the room where I keep the action-figures as a after thought.....
I also found I have a
Gamorian-Guard (
Vibro-Axe Missing (NO accusation of theft here as these things are just very easily lost!) Whom, I had always thought resembled the
Orcs from that
Dungeons & Dragons cartoon back in 80's!)
The three
Ewoks, The shamanistic like one with the skull-head dress (Like
Cathbad drawn by
Glen Fabry!) and striped fur, a larger one that must be the chieftain (I think he was called
Chief Chirpa!)and the little one that was befriended by
Leia. I could ask of you for their names, but I could just as easily look it up.
Yoda another favourite. Small, green, (Quite possibly belong to a more star-bound race of dwarves that got separated from the close relatives of
Ukko!) and after removing the plastic belt and cloth robe he was always seen to be wearing. He's got this brown outfit that looks like it was based on a friars outfit. The orange snake he always had draped around his neck is the only accessory I have left of this aside from the action figure it self. The plastic belt and walking stick, plus the cloth robe. Most possibly lost or thrown out. Otherwise, I'm not sure who steal something like that. We had
Star Wars themed dress up party with this this youth movement organisation that meet up once a week and teach camping, survival and other outdoor skills as well as outdoor games more commonly known as
Cubs/Scouts/Rovers all started by some fellow called
Lord Badin Powell. Well, I had one of those flimsy plastic
Yoda masks and had my mother stich me a white robe. I just wore a track suit and put on the robes and had this belt to hold it together and fallen tree branch for a walking staff. I was the tallest
Yoda even at age nine or ten. I only ever remember some else dressed as
Darth-Vader.
This forum really needs a multi-quote function like they do on the
Frontier Forums and like how this one now has it's onw Search-Function (http://forums.2000adonline.com/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
(https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/12107135_497752483718143_3661795399122130220_n.jpg?oh=2f247bd9f796a21a798e26b7c5fe4935&oe=56D33587)
Heh! I'm having that!
There's got to be a version of that with "expanded universe" as the joke :lol: :lol:
Before we wave goodbye to Marty...
(http://i.imgur.com/qjBBLw2.jpg)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 21 October, 2015, 05:02:30 PM
There's got to be a version of that with "expanded universe" as the joke :lol: :lol:
(http://wp.production.patheos.com/blogs/exploringourmatrix/files/2015/10/Star-Wars-Its-non-canon-all-of-it.jpg)
:D Thankyou!
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 20 October, 2015, 12:59:27 PM
First action figure I ever brought was Power-Droid.....
(http://forum.rebelscum.com/photogallery/data/500/medium/Picture251.jpg)
Just had a proper look at that picture while reaching up to the shelf above my head to grab the so called action figure and see that it's the one on the left in that picture (Which is my own picture!) merely because of the spike on top. where they said it is......bugger looking for the other stuff. I got only one of those droid A.F.'s and still wouldn't be bothered looking for other variations.
Not sure if that means I now have the original or the latest line of one of those.
BTW... in a some related video[/b] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDeJjBDlWBc%20%5Bb) I found I that there is a made up written language that everybody, everything uses in the
SWU ever since
Empire Strikes Back and it's been reinserted where appropriate in to every other film in the quadrilogy.
It's called
Aurabesh (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_in_Star_Wars)
Kind of like
Oghams or
Runes with a more
Latin, influence. Not sure I like this idea and thought it might have been spoken language as well. Yet, it's not, because.....what we understand as plain
English is what they call
Galactic or
Galactic-Basic. So,
Aurabesh is only the most widely used written language apparently.
Now imagine if
Slaine was entirely written in
Oghams and everybody had speak that way as well.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 23 October, 2015, 11:03:24 PM
Yet, it's not, because.....what we understand as plain English is what they call Galactic or Galactic-Basic. So, Aurabesh is only the most widely used written language apparently.
Aurebesh is not a language - it's just a script. The symbols correspond directly to the Latin (English) alphabet, and once converted the words and phrases are plain English - or Galactic Basic, if you prefer. Interestingly the same is true of Ogham, which also corresponds to the Latin alphabet (although there are arguments about this), and then is just plain Old Irish (with some formulaic elements acting like shorthand.
Interesting that Oghams might not had the origins I have read that it has the few times I had seen it that way. So, that might be saying the names of every trees was a Latin thing as well?
A few things didn't get right.....
That photo is not one of my own pictures and I also meant to say that Aurabesh is only the most widely used written language in the SWU.
I'm just about to edumacate Mrs auxlen on episodes 4-6. I've told her if she doesn't like them or behave she will be watching episodes 1-3 as punishment
Plus i have managed to secure pre Lucas fucked with editions of the internet!!!!!
Hanging around the Lime-Light theatre today, I was sorry to set he poster and thought they might have touched up Leia and that facial expression. It's not that time has past, it's just kind of weird. You think they might have got it on another take. Like they might have took more than one of her.....
Sorry to say so!
Since I've been to the local cinemas to Crimson Peak and The Last Witch Hunter I notice it's a too late to change the poster. They have them up every where and it's the odd expression on Leia's face that really throws it right off.
Once again, I'm sorry to say it's spoiled the whole picture.
Can anybody here touch it up or cut past another facial expression.
I might try, but I'm bound to fuck it up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/Shakara/TS_zpsulvwnjbi.jpg)
Better?
Could you also make Harrison Ford's hair a little less grey, fix the Falcon's radar dish, and add boobs to Captain Phasmas armor?
(http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j260/MalcolmKirk/TS_zps6vssgp1c.jpg)
:lol:
don't know why that let it go that way. Could have chosen another picture of her.....
Will have go as well.
Is that Leia really that bad? I think it catches the exasperated-but-amused look of the character, but on a late-50s face. It may be a bit idealised, but it is a poster...
Anyway, surely Kylo Ren should have a white poppy. He's clearly a monster.
No, facial expression just ruins it for me. With face like that the magic is gone. She's almost breaking the four wall as she notices you and looks back with derision.
Anyway, I was long through my photo alteration Apts and couldn't find any that could do what I would like to do to fix the poster the way I would like it, myself.
Then searched for a online one and found
LunaPics (http://www120.lunapic.com/editor/)
It's good because it has all these functions lobbed into together, but I have spent the better part of the afternoon and early evening try to cut-n-paste a image of the younger or older
Leia, but with a less comical facial expression. I just can't get the face and the original poster on the same page to combine them.
May try it with two pages, a little later.
As for the picture of
Leia, who be blamed for that. In my experience with professional photography's. It's their responsibility because they do the direction thing, even if they are following orders from taken from head art director high up the ladder or
J.J. Abrahams himself.
I wonder what
George Lucas think s of it some far or is trying to avoid seeing too much of what was formerly his.
Maybe it's
Leia's tribute to
Walt Disney and some cartoon animals might complete the effect she has achieved there.
BTW I admire these candid photos of young
Carrie Fisher....
(http://a1.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,g_face,h_300,q_80,w_300/MTE5NTU2MzE2NDc1MzkzNTQ3.jpg)(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOVBwiYjICGNfqt3HpZobwtFjerZX56-ry7ZNOD57GlzrYcj31)
(http://cdn.playbuzz.com/cdn/cfa29d0e-2861-46da-82e6-162d16097883/fe4656f5-8d0b-400c-b904-5c393c74dd18.jpg)(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSuRGsXV3Tb47ONfv0KLf5WOWS0Rx67l6edAy_EtFGtPW5XzxTk) (https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRG2wANJXlIb_B5VAmFWrcBvUERc_NOssthFZLpbjIpFs3mm0Jq)(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTiOfMPGgpM5Y2OdpHszFbnX4mLjQzWbOQgBn4Eij0hz5KMhy1SMw)(http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/33500000/Leia-princess-leia-organa-solo-skywalker-33523270-350-224.jpg)(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRAnYv2k9zi-GZudl9P7fQ_6RsHTy0N7Uj43HWTSWxzRLVT907F)(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQFkRJOdKkNWR6cVjqaPZFvsT0NPUtPcznuCneVJditvbnZbKnC)(http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/29400000/Princess-Leia-Organa-princess-leia-organa-solo-skywalker-29417629-500-596.jpg)(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aLkjnRteXho/U4mm0duROWI/AAAAAAAAAXg/RcC1-pCpRMk/s1600/carrie-fisher-posing-seductively-in-a-bikini.jpg)
Now, I only accept responsibility for continuing to admire the looks of a woman who I have become less physically attracted in her later years if I had any personal physical involvement with while young and in the same room. Which can said for a awful lot of females, especially female celebrities. She must have been in late teens early twenties when she was filmed in the very first movie. I find it hard not to like her as only a fan would, looking at those photos above, and to be perfectly honest, she got better with age. Up to the second film and the third and beyond, but don't know of her being anything else but this and
Blues-Brothers. Looking at her now, I find it harder to notice it, this means she's really only her Co-Stars and most loyal followers and that goes with never having met her personally and I don't actually mean that in the same way, I said so at the beginning of this paragraph.
This is why the picture of her on the poster bothers me, because there is none of the apparent charm she shown in earlier film advertisements.....
(http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/518d62ac6bb3f7df0d00000e-1200/posters-for-the-star-wars-trilogy.jpg)
Because you can't wank off to it?
Please, stop this kind of stuff. We used to do it on the forum but grew up and do not do it anymore.
Jez, not reached for the Ignore button in ages where is it again ::)
Meanwhile.
http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/4/9669942/star-wars-new-posters-the-force-awakens-cast-characters
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CS-8ZszWwAEIWEB.jpg)
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 04 November, 2015, 09:16:46 AM
I wonder what George Lucas think s of it some far or is trying to avoid seeing too much of what was formerly his.
I'm more sorry about saying that. It's most probably not right....exactly.
The
Leia stuff is just harmless adorement. She was chosen for that role for a number of reasons I guess I don't see why I can't admire her in a way a lot of
Star Wars fans did back in 1977.
She looks better in the personal advertisement posters, but now find her almost totally unrecognisable.
We're going to have to have this "she doesn't exist for you to approve of her physically" discussion again aren't we?
No? I'd say let this one go.
Also how amazing is it that a Star Wars film is coming out with more than two women in it?! NICE.
This is all rather topical, given Disney's alleged recent edict that 'Slave' Leia is to be retired from its licensed merchandise.
Despite an initial 'ah seriously' reaction, on reflection I can totally see the point: their $4 billion investment is frequently represented in popular media by a bikini-clad harem girl. Now you and I know that this is one of the key leaders of the Rebel Alliance, a former Senator, the force-sensitive daughter of Darth Vader and the woman who kills Jabba the Hutt with her bare hands (while in said bikini), but there's no doubt that it's the double connotation of fetish object and sex slave that has the widest reach. The gold bikini eclipsed the two-danish hairstyle as visual shorthand for Star Wars itself some years ago, possibly around the time Jennifer Anniston combined the two elements in Friends.
Now there's a good argument that the 'slave' aspect is the bit that Disney is leery of, and equally there's no question that Carrie was originally cast with no thought given to her looks (this is movies), but it would be nice if one of the original strong female characters in SF could be represented on shelves and duvets as something other than Disney's Barbarella.
In-appropiate, I think, Not (http://forums.2000adonline.com/index.php?topic=42354.0)
Not because I want to support the salve trade, but because it's part of the film's cannon and that it. Besides, I'm not about buy one myself. I'd sooner have real girl with me dressed that way and not in same capacity as a slave, but something much nicer and not plastic action figure either. I was a little irritated by this article at the time, because I knew the action has more to do with the film than what it's real life counter part does.
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 November, 2015, 05:01:54 AM
.... is frequently represented in popular media by a bikini-clad harem girl.
Disney Princesses Jasmin and Ariel notwithstanding.
TS, it's time to up the potassium bromide intake again!
You know it's bad, but some of the worst politically incorrectness is great for making films like this entertaining.
BTW TD I don't know what that shit is, but I did once swallow a mouthful of coolant.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 November, 2015, 09:46:03 AM
...but I did once swallow a mouthful of coolant.
Mmm-hmmm.
(Bromide is an apocryphal libido-supressant supposedly (but not really) used by the British Army to keep their privates in line, so to speak. Commando Forces and Tankie could probably elaborate).
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 November, 2015, 05:01:54 AM
This is all rather topical, given Disney's alleged recent edict that 'Slave' Leia is to be retired from its licensed merchandise.
It just won't be a comic con without the Slave Leia pageant and grown men openly taking pictures of bikini-clad girls as young as 8.
Quote from: Link Prime on 03 November, 2015, 10:13:50 PM
Could you also make Harrison Ford's hair a little less grey, fix the Falcon's radar dish, and add boobs to Captain Phasmas armor?
And not so teal and amber would be nice (did I complain about that already?)
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 04 November, 2015, 10:41:14 PM
We're going to have to have this "she doesn't exist for you to approve of her physically" discussion again aren't we?
No? I'd say let this one go.
Also how amazing is it that a Star Wars film is coming out with more than two women in it?! NICE.
Hmmm, which other SW film has two women in it, in proper speaking roles where they get to be a character and not just reveal the rest of the plot (so disregarding Mon Mothma's one scene)? Technically TPM had Amidala and Sabé, but not sure that really counts...
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 November, 2015, 07:42:25 AMNot because I want to support the salve trade
Fair enough. Not something I'd want on my conscience, either.
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 November, 2015, 10:53:59 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 November, 2015, 09:46:03 AM
...but I did once swallow a mouthful of coolant.
Mmm-hmmm.
(Bromide is an apocryphal libido-supressant supposedly (but not really) used by the British Army to keep their privates in line, so to speak. Commando Forces and Tankie could probably elaborate).
I am aware of the story but as far as I know it's a myth. Then again I don't drink tea and only have a couple of coffees a year, so even if it did do what it's supposed to do, it would never have been ingested by me :)
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 November, 2015, 05:01:54 AM
The gold bikini eclipsed the two-danish hairstyle as visual shorthand for Star Wars itself some years ago, possibly around the time Jennifer Aniston combined the two elements in Friends
That's definitely the case. Star Wars fandom is huge, but more 12 year old girls have watched one of the endless, daily reruns of that Friends episode than will see any of the Star Wars films (past or future).
I'm firmly in the camp that considers Carrie Fisher in a bikini a very good thing, but I remember struggling a bit with it tonally as a kid. I could see it was riffing on Conan and Flash Gordon tropes
[1], but the slave/rescue dynamic seemed a little at odds with the effortlessly sarcastic, blaster wielding, bad-ass Leia of the original film
[2].
[1] nobody complained when Max von Sydow treated a captive Melody Anderson to Studio 54 bondage gear in the near-contemporary Flash Gordon (http://i.imgur.com/wDZUrm6.png?1)
[2] although both Star Wars and Jedi have scenes where she passively clings to her brother as he swings to her rescue (http://www.starwars.stopklatka.pl/images/lukeleia.jpg)
I actually don't think there's anything wrong with the costume in the context of the movie (although Leia in her snowsuit was far more my pre-teen ideal of beauty), Leia arrives at Jabba's palace as a hard-as-nails bounty hunter, rejects her degredation and leaves having used the very chains of her bondage to free herself and her prospective lover: job jobbed. It's the recent fetishisation of that costume that bothers me, and Disney are (if they are) right to distance their IP from that.
Flash Gordon is pure filth, and more power to it.
Quote from: sheridan on 05 November, 2015, 02:04:38 PM
Hmmm, which other SW film has two women in it, in proper speaking roles where they get to be a character and not just reveal the rest of the plot (so disregarding Mon Mothma's one scene)? Technically TPM had Amidala and Sabé, but not sure that really counts...
I didn't say two women who "get to be a (proper) characters" - if we're judging SW in those terms I'm provoked into expanding the thought that the whole saga is just a shallow but compelling romp intentionally following the mould of shallow but compelling action serials of yesteryear but as a consequence not having any particularly distinctive characters. They're all just flat tropes in nice costumes. The sole exceptions being the charismatic Han and old Kenobi (and that's the actors entirely I think) - those two serving to 'guide Luke to his destiny' and nothing else in the first film. This flimsy characterisation functions well in the originals because 'character moments' are either super brief or accompanied by serious shit going down.
(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lg7hcztmTo1qafrh6.gif)
In the prequels the veil fell well away and the awkward attempts at more rounded characterisation appeared stilted and pointless. Most of them slovenly building to conclusions we already knew. Like how explaining the mechanics of the Force blows the tissue-thin concept wide open, so too does exploring the depths of characters who have none makes us see that there weren't any characters there before either, we just weren't hanging around them long enough to notice.
(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view3/1307930/anakin-padme-laughs-o.gif)
GET ON WITH IT.
I guess what seems most promising is that not only has the new film got likeable actors in it - but motherflipping Lawrence Kasdan of Empire fame as well as solid character writer Michael Arndt (Toy Story 3, Little Miss Sunshine) are on script duties alongside audience-pleasing JJ so a good balance may be struck between actual characterisation that modern audiences crave and that shallow and compelling action serial schtick that greases the wheels of the saga.
:o
*and the 'actually having some roles for women' is the icing on the optimism cake
I meant to add.
Anyone else a bit bummed out that there's what looks like a [spoiler]Death Star[/spoiler] in the official poster? I'm guessing this is [spoiler]'Starkiller base'. So basically, a Death Star that destroys stars, and thus entire solar systems?[/spoiler]
Isn't that a rut that the spin-off novels and comics fell straight into? Every single plot hinging on [spoiler]the villains having an ever-increasingly powerful iteration of Death Star?[/spoiler]
Quote from: radiator on 05 November, 2015, 07:46:44 PM
Anyone else a bit bummed out that there's what looks like a [spoiler]Death Star[/spoiler] in the official poster? I'm guessing this is [spoiler]'Starkiller base'. So basically, a Death Star that destroys stars, and thus entire solar systems?[/spoiler]
Isn't that a rut that the spin-off novels and comics fell straight into? Every single plot hinging on [spoiler]the villains having an ever-increasingly powerful iteration of Death Star?[/spoiler]
[spoiler]I wonder where they hid it. Tatooine?[/spoiler]
Quote from: radiator on 05 November, 2015, 07:46:44 PM
Anyone else a bit bummed out that there's what looks like a [spoiler]Death Star[/spoiler] in the official poster? I'm guessing this is [spoiler]'Starkiller base'. So basically, a Death Star that destroys stars, and thus entire solar systems?[/spoiler]
Isn't that a rut that the spin-off novels and comics fell straight into? Every single plot hinging on [spoiler]the villains having an ever-increasingly powerful iteration of Death Star?[/spoiler]
Not at all; it's not like it falls in-line with a pattern of an Empire of Star-Destroyers and TIE-Fighters duelling a band of Rebels with X-Wings; a desert planet of farmers/scavengers wrapped in beige cloth; a mythical and half-remembered religion practiced by a hermetic knight hunted by a devoted black-art opposite; a talismanic lightsaber, with a legacy attached, carried by a questing orphan and her robot who take a jaunt on a familiar ship with an elder keeper-of-the-flame, and a furry alien.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 November, 2015, 07:42:25 AMNot because I want to support the salve trade
Really?
You don't think anyone with skin complaints deserve cool, soothing relief from their ailments?
What kind of monster are you?
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 05 November, 2015, 08:38:24 PM
Quote from: radiator on 05 November, 2015, 07:46:44 PM
Anyone else a bit bummed out that there's what looks like a [spoiler]Death Star[/spoiler] in the official poster? I'm guessing this is [spoiler]'Starkiller base'. So basically, a Death Star that destroys stars, and thus entire solar systems?[/spoiler]
Isn't that a rut that the spin-off novels and comics fell straight into? Every single plot hinging on [spoiler]the villains having an ever-increasingly powerful iteration of Death Star?[/spoiler]
Not at all; it's not like it falls in-line with a pattern of an Empire of Star-Destroyers and TIE-Fighters duelling a band of Rebels with X-Wings; a desert planet of farmers/scavengers wrapped in beige cloth; a mythical and half-remembered religion practiced by a hermetic knight hunted by a devoted black-art opposite; a talismanic lightsaber, with a legacy attached, carried by a questing orphan and her robot who take a jaunt on a familiar ship with an elder keeper-of-the-flame, and a furry alien.
The more I see of TFA, the more I think of this:
(https://itsamaddoworld.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/523552_10152136299465393_1487968607_n1.jpg)
And Rogue One seems closer to the style of Prequel many fans wanted (and probably feature a slightly younger Darth Vader).
Quote from: radiator on 05 November, 2015, 09:18:10 PM
The more I see of TFA, the more I think of this:
(https://itsamaddoworld.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/523552_10152136299465393_1487968607_n1.jpg)
The Force. It's calling to you.
Just let it in.
Given the Force's tendency to surround, bind and penetrate, it's refreshing to hear Maz Kanata advocating enthusiastic consent.
Hee
(http://imgur.com/Yn4Dq6Z.jpg)
If Disney are banning leia's slave outfit are they gonna ban any future oola toys etc? she actually popped out in jedi before jabba fed her to the rancor...
Quote from: Grugz on 06 November, 2015, 11:08:21 AM
she actually popped out in jedi before jabba fed her to the rancor...
Hands off the pause button, filthy boy!
If the internet was full of galleries of cosplaying Oolas being oogled by middle aged men, and Oola was going to be a mature and maternal military leader figure in family-film TFA, I suspect that's what'd happen.
As it is, a slave being murdered for resisting the sexual advances of her master is probably point enough for Oola...
Wooh! New footage. Love TIE fighters in the sun! Like that red light sadgr and Chewie's hand! :o
https://www.youtube.com/embed/SdAUiyeJMFQ (https://www.youtube.com/embed/SdAUiyeJMFQ)
Hooray, more Vaporators!
...and finally C3P0, unless he's been trailed before?
But some great looking shots in this - those T.I.E's!
Though overall, not quite as good as the recent U.S trailer.
But I'm getting more and more excited by this film. Never thought I'd say that, tbh.
Feels like our first new SW film since '83....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pegJQPIzfs4
As this said: remember how awesome the Phantom menace trailers looked.
if i'm honest i can remember being soooooo exited about the prequel films....even AOTC after the horror of TPM.
(http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/11/06/15/2E2E099400000578-3307130-image-a-74_1446825370291.jpg)
After that I think that even the most spoiler-averse must have figured out the main characters' relationships and situations, and thus much of the plot. Seems straightforward enough, if very familiar to EU devotees, but straightforward could be good. What Chewie is doing in that shot is the big deal for me.
I swear Abrams, you touch a hair on that Wookiee's pelt and I will not be responsible for my actions.
That Daisy Ridley... Mesmerisingly beautiful in a real star-is-born way. And Boyega automatically hits the hapless-mate spot. Good casting at least.
The casting is genuinely amazing. I knew Boyega was destined for big things the moment I saw him in Attack the Block, and I think this film is really going to launch Adam Driver into the mainstream - he's so charismatic in the HBO show Girls (which I'm going to go out on a limb and guess not many of you lot will have seen).
Oscar Isaac is brilliant as well, loved him in Ex Machina. I figured he would be one of the leads but they seem to be playing him down a lot in the marketing, he didn't get a character poster for instance, and doesn't appear much in any of the trailers.
I really hope Domhnall Gleeson gets a chance to shine - he's so great in everything - though it very much looks like he'll only have a small 'Admiral Veers' type role.
I've been hearing a lot of rumours that a major character won't make it to the end of this movie.
I just had a horrifying thought.
What if....what if it's the Falcon?
Quote from: Mister Pops on 06 November, 2015, 08:05:22 PM
I've been hearing a lot of rumours that a major character won't make it to the end of this movie.
I just had a horrifying thought.
What if....what if it's the Falcon?
Everyone knows it's going to be Luke Skywalker who is in fact now evil and is gunned down by Han Solo after bifurcating Chewbacca, burning Leia Organa alive and shitting on the smoking corpse of Yoda. Well that would be my heartless Film version a sort of Game of Throne Wars rather than Star Wars. The reviews for my masterpiece would be a wonder to behold no doubt.
Quote from: auxlen on 06 November, 2015, 06:20:38 PM
As this said: remember how awesome the Phantom menace trailers looked.
They looked a bit like
Jurassic Park - which I remember worried me at the time.
The Fatarse Awakens...
(http://s13.postimg.org/qes7oxurb/image.jpg)
Woo hoo, didn't realise Jabba was in this one!
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 November, 2015, 10:01:06 AM
Woo hoo, didn't realise Jabba was in this one!
If George Lucas was still involved Jabba probably would've been in it. Dead or not!
Cheers
Quote from: NapalmKev on 08 November, 2015, 10:31:09 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 November, 2015, 10:01:06 AM
Woo hoo, didn't realise Jabba was in this one!
If George Lucas was still involved Jabba probably would've been in it. Dead or not!
Cheers
Rotta's still canon, you know. And in his 60s, so just exiting Huttlethood.
Holy crap, another new trailer! And this one's a doozy! No doubts who Rey is now, and at this point it seems like Lupita Ngong's Maz Kanata character is a pretty big deal.
http://makingstarwars.net/2015/11/new-star-wars-the-force-awakens-tv-spot-features-new-shots-and-dialog/
Whose eyes? Mmm..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1lp69VrkgI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1lp69VrkgI)
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 November, 2015, 03:45:08 PM
at this point it seems like Lupita Ngong's Maz Kanata character is a pretty big deal.
Or it's the one bit of early dialogue in the film that is vague enough not to spoil too much.
That had been my feeling thus far too, but with this new bit some of that vagueness evaporates in favour of a suggested familiarity with the OT characters, and (what I assume to be) her monastery or whatever the red building is that Han leads Finn and Rey into seems to be in a huge amount of the footage we've seen. Some kind of mystical oracle, perhaps, setting the characters on their paths in a way that pragmatic Han on his own can't.
I did think it was rather brave going back to 'Every generation has a story...'. Very 1999.
Quote from: Mister Pops on 06 November, 2015, 08:05:22 PM
I've been hearing a lot of rumours that a major character won't make it to the end of this movie.
I just had a horrifying thought.
What if....what if it's the Falcon?
By the looks of that last trailer, Ray and the Falcon are the only ones getting off that snowy superweapon/planet alive.
Which is interesting, because as soon as I saw that superweapon, and without any likely-looking Jedi pilot, I'd been pondering a firey self-sacrifice for Han and the Falcon, in an Independence Day/Armageddon stylee, with the last-minute rescue of SW:ANH being reprised along with everything else. But Rey's piloting scene throws further doubt on that one (unless it's on Jakku - but she looks a bit wrecked for that), as does the pack-in of Finn and Chewie figures with the new Falcon toy.
And how does a junk scavenger on a dustball know how to fly the Falcon, mmmm? Unless she's been there before.
She watched Han? The takeoff looks rough, so it could be a first try.
I'd be surprised if all the male cast gets bumped off in the first in the trilogy, though. It would be too much of a bummer for the first outing.
I presume Rey meets up with the someone else who has the Falcon prior to finding Solo and turning over the log-book and keys.
More importantly- who got custody of Crix Madine's hair-system?
(http://www.shadowdalecreations.com/starwars_rebel_general_nadeen_1.jpg)
The shortening. It's calling to you. Just rub it in.
Ploughing through the now almost 4 minutes of footage in an effort to postpone the start of the day's work I'm still struck by how very, very little new stuff there is in the trailers.
Aside from the new human characters, it's basically BB8, Rey's speeder, the landing craft, the crossguard sabre and that red droid - all really just very slight variations on existing things. If you look at theTPM trailers, it's almost ALL new things, new aliens, new vehicles, new droids, new monsters (and Tatooine, of course). I'm still hoping that this is a deliberate choice in presenting the familiar, while keeping the new hidden as a surprise, but it'll certainly be interesting to see whether there's anything underneath the old coat.
Wasn't that girl engaging the hyper-drive. You know that throttle like thing grip/switch that gets pulled on after map co-ordinates have been safely plotted.
Any one hyperspace jump in Sta-Wars is treated the same way as taking a long distance trip that involves more than one jump in Elite-Dangerous just to compare.
Was going to ask what was Han doing letting that girl do with that with his console.
That is his temple, it is sacred to him, the Wookie and maybe Lando and then this sond too male orientated and realise.......perhaps it about time!
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 09 November, 2015, 09:44:38 AM
Wasn't that girl engaging the hyper-drive. You know that throttle like thing grip/switch that gets pulled on after map co-ordinates have been safely plotted.
This was my reading of it too, but who knows - the tree sequence may be unrelated.. As to your other question, all will be revealed shortly, but even so Han has let all sorts pilot the Falcon including Leia, Lando and Nien Nunb.
That's never been down before.
A hyperspace jump while still flying under the planets, gravity/oxcgen (What ever air they breath...) influence.....should look awesome and possible reason for a minor cataclysm.
Super Supercut trailer here folks!! All the cinema trailers, TV spots etc from around the world cut into some semblance of order.
It's a beast!
https://youtu.be/oqvkarUF8xs
The female voice over... the thing about the eyes, I find it really irritating.
Ah but is it coarse and does it get everywhere?
Yes, the "iTrailer" VO does sound a bit naff (lthough I adore the voice), but naffness is the essence of SW dialogue where the Force is concerned. As long as nobody mentions midichlorians, just loses the will to live or wants to sell you deathsticks, we should be okay.
Spent much of last night watching numerous versions and iterations of the 'supercut' - lot of talented folk out there.
Quote from: Tordelback on 11 November, 2015, 03:27:10 PM
Ah but is it coarse and does it get everywhere?
The potent combination of Lucas' scripting and Christensens acting.
Lets face it Abrams can't loose :lol:
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 09 November, 2015, 01:24:06 AM
More importantly- who got custody of Crix Madine's hair-system?
(http://www.shadowdalecreations.com/starwars_rebel_general_nadeen_1.jpg)
The hair on his 1983 action figure looks more human.
They can move a ship at supraluminal speeds; have workable antigravity: yet they can't develop a good conditioner! Z
Crisco Madine
Quote from: Tordelback on 11 November, 2015, 08:37:21 PM
Crisco Madine
I think I bought one of their routers.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Link Prime on 11 November, 2015, 05:28:01 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 09 November, 2015, 01:24:06 AM
More importantly- who got custody of Crix Madine's hair-system?
(http://www.shadowdalecreations.com/starwars_rebel_general_nadeen_1.jpg)
The hair on his 1983 action figure looks more human.
Possibly a
cooler character (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Crix_Madine) than that hair style would lead me to believe at first.
Will he be returning, despite his demise in the expanded universe?
A later picture....
(http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c103/ThinWhiteDuke1/DK2.jpg)
Actually, he does look alit like a younger (Late , Sir)
Sir Alec Giunness.
You know, I'm surprised he didn't get cloned....or did he?
Look what I found on the front page of
Ebay (http://www.ebay.com.au/cln/onlyonline/STAR-WARS/246876216010)
I already got the larger deluxe version the
Darth Vader action figure. It's cool.
Yet, I noticed this remote control
Artwo-Deetwo, (Then I noticed one of those
At-At snow walkers made and used by the
Empire and a animatronic Yoda.
What really stands out is this deluxe larger than life Greedo. It's the colours, you know.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTUwMFgxNTAw/z/TosAAOSw9N1V0ZZ0/$_58.JPG)
TV spot #2;
http://youtu.be/pgtOKP4NDJM (http://youtu.be/pgtOKP4NDJM)
[spoiler]So Stormtroopers can fight lightsaber?![/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 13 November, 2015, 08:46:46 AM
[spoiler]So Stormtroopers can fight lightsaber?![/spoiler]
[spoiler]It's an electrostaff, and as far as I can tell is the only thing we've seen thus far taken directly from the prequels[/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 13 November, 2015, 08:46:46 AM
TV spot #2;
http://youtu.be/pgtOKP4NDJM (http://youtu.be/pgtOKP4NDJM)
[spoiler]So Stormtroopers can fight lightsaber?![/spoiler]
So much good stuff in that!!
Very inspiring.....
That Greedo is weird, in that it bears no relation to the proportions of the movie character or those of the '78 action figure. In fact, it appears to be a scaled up version of the 1996 action figure, which is just... Odd.
QUIET, nerd! You'll take what you're given.
Chesko ba tuta kreesta krenko ya kolska, Scolaighe!
Chut, chut, scolaighe. Z
Only just realised the two main characters are Finn(y) and Ray!
Quote from: Tordelback on 13 November, 2015, 02:39:21 PM
Chesko ba tuta kreesta krenko ya kolska, Scolaighe!
Yo ma ma.
Quote from: Tordelback on 13 November, 2015, 02:21:57 PM
That Greedo is weird, in that it bears no relation to the proportions of the movie character or those of the '78 action figure. In fact, it appears to be a scaled up version of the 1996 action figure, which is just... Odd.
No, I didn't get that it was any different from the movie character or the action figure. Only that it's now scaled up (Like you said!) and that the colours look bright or maybe it's because it not in the darker confines of the cantina.
Comparing it to the original action figure I still have.
(https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR26DpRS4hhyZT5uffxBLwGXCP38w4gTMiccipsIJsJtpTz2Tkw)
Mine is on the left.....
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41tosaO1%2BCL._SY300_.jpg%5B/img%5B/center%5D%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EProbably%20the%20slightly%20scaled%20up%20version%20you%20were%20talking%20about%20%5Bb%5DTB%5B/b%5D.....%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EAside%20from%20the%20fact%20that%20both%20characters%20won't%20be%20appearing%20in%20the%20new%20film.%20I%20would%20still%20like%20to%20buy%20this%20one.%20%5Bb%5DGreedo%5B/b%5D%20was%20still%20one%20of%20my%20favourite%20action%20figures%20despite%20his%20status%20for%20being%20not%20so%20cool.%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3E%5Bcenter%5D%5Bimg%5Dhttp://uploads.neatorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/greedo.jpg)
So, I think the later figures of this on at least look more true to the original character. Not that I really cared at the time.
Looking for costume to wear at the premiere at my local if I can still get tickets for this.
Was thinking of buying one of the authentic
Jedi costumes. Something based on
Obi-Wan-Kenobi's get up.
Then I noticed the expensive
Darth-Vader and
Boba-Fett costumes. They do have cheaper version, but I was eyeing the most authenticated ones that were still made from molded plastic and not metal rather dissapointingly. Which would still set me back about between 6 - 899 dollars.
The
Darth-Vader helmet has a voice changer. Not sure if I would be asked to remove the helmet once I got inside the cinema lobby and the theatre itself. I 'm very likely to remove it any way, if I want to see the film properly without dark red shades covering my eyes.
I was seriously thinking of donning the
Mandolorian armour and helmet of the famed bounty hunter. Not that I really liked actor who was his father and quite possibly himself. Although, I'm not sure where I would have seen the dude playing him.
As for
Darth. I'm just not tall enough and that would be way too pretentious of me.
Then I found outfits for
Tusken-Raiders (Who I had come to think of as a secret lodge of the moister farmers of
Tattoeine!) and overly-tall
Jawa's (U-Tini!) thinking one of those might be the ticket and at slightly less then 100 dollars.
Then I thought of
Greedo, but none of him are for sale by the looks. Pity and none of the above characters are likley to appear in this film either.
There is
Han Solo costume, but this is going back to the same argument I silently waged for
Darth and
Boba. Besides, while I may look fitter then I have for a long time, I still don't think I might cut it as this
Corellian and who would be my
Leia?
There is also
Luke..... and still the same argument.
I don't like any of the newbies, perhaps not until I have gotten used to them or achieved the same cult status as the other. Even the new
Sith-Lord!
Prop stories (http://collider.com/star-wars-launch-bay-images-disneyland/)
(http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/star-wars-launch-bay-20.jpg)
Quote from: JPMaybe on 13 November, 2015, 10:02:34 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 13 November, 2015, 08:46:46 AM
[spoiler]So Stormtroopers can fight lightsaber?![/spoiler]
[spoiler]It's an electrostaff, and as far as I can tell is the only thing we've seen thus far taken directly from the prequels[/spoiler]
It's a real nitpick, but it always bothered me in Revenge of the Sith that suddenly there were characters introduced that could [spoiler]counter the lightsaber. I dunno why, it just seemed to make lightsabers that much less cool[/spoiler]. It was just one more thing that the prequels did to really demystify the jedi and make them really dull and pedestrian.
As I said before, it'll be interesting to see how much these new films will be beholden to the prequels aesthetically. It's worth remembering that we arguably never actually see a jedi in the originals - and so much of what we think of as them - how they look, the 'rules' of their powers* comes from the prequels now.
*As wonderfully pointed out by the Plinkett reviews, the 'power set' of the jedi has seemingly been formalised in a really boring way, so that the abilities of a jedi feel like the skillset you unlock in a videogame. Whereas in RotJ, you get the impression that the Emperor is throwing lightning around not because its the height of his abilities, but more because its some freaky shit, almost an afterthought, that merely hints at the scale of his abilities.
Quote from: radiator on 14 November, 2015, 07:27:46 PM
Quote from: JPMaybe on 13 November, 2015, 10:02:34 AM
Quote from: Goaty on 13 November, 2015, 08:46:46 AM
[spoiler]So Stormtroopers can fight lightsaber?![/spoiler]
[spoiler]It's an electrostaff, and as far as I can tell is the only thing we've seen thus far taken directly from the prequels[/spoiler]
It's a real nitpick, but it always bothered me in Revenge of the Sith that suddenly there were characters introduced that could [spoiler]counter the lightsaber. I dunno why, it just seemed to make lightsabers that much less cool[/spoiler]. It was just one more thing that the prequels did to really demystify the jedi and make them really dull and pedestrian.
As I said before, it'll be interesting to see how much these new films will be beholden to the prequels aesthetically. It's worth remembering that we arguably never actually see a jedi in the originals - and so much of what we think of as them - how they look, the 'rules' of their powers* comes from the prequels now.
*As wonderfully pointed out by the Plinkett reviews, the 'power set' of the jedi has seemingly been formalised in a really boring way, so that the abilities of a jedi feel like the skillset you unlock in a videogame. Whereas in RotJ, you get the impression that the Emperor is throwing lightning around not because its the height of his abilities, but more because its some freaky shit, almost an afterthought, that merely hints at the scale of his abilities.
I think we've had this conversation before but, as a kid, I kind of assumed that the Jedi's (and Sith's)powers were linked to their own individual personalities/skills.
So, Obi Wan's force powers were mostly illusions because he was a trickster.
Yoda's were mainly strength feats to compensate for his small stature.
Vaders's were an extension of his physical strength and cruelty.
I think Luke's were something of a mix because he was more balanced in the force.
It probably doesn't make much sense but it's how I rationalised things when I was younger. It melds quite well with the virtues of the traditional knights of old too. With Lancelot being the dashing one, Galahad being the bravest, Arthur being a great leader etc.
Quote from: radiator on 14 November, 2015, 07:27:46 PM
Whereas in RotJ, you get the impression that the Emperor is throwing lightning around not because its the height of his abilities, but more because its some freaky shit, almost an afterthought, that merely hints at the scale of his abilities.
This reminds me of some weird phenominal happening way back in early
January 2006. It was night and I was in my usual bedroom, (Which I now no longer use!) at my computer (Another computer that now no longer works...) when during a lightening storm I thought a bolt of lighting was sent through the wall (Without damaging it!) into my computer (Not actually damaged either, but now no longer works from being outdated and unusable from old-age!) and I think there was some ball lightening as well. Now it could have been the at some lightening struck something near by, like a tree or something made from metal (A obvious conductor which I couldn't really locate after looking around outside the next day....I think, because my memory is a bit hazy about this!) and the close proximity of this attack was what probably make me think that some lightening had come straight through wall beside me, through my back, out of my stomach into the computer where I not quite so hastily enough pulled the power plug from the wall to reduces the chances of any more damage and everything else that needed a power cord.
Before telling my father in the kitchen down the hallway and as he got crook at me with kitchen curtains framing the window while raining was falling outside. Lightening played in the air in the background outside, illuminating the space around my fathers head. This looked surreal as he told me in way not so much unlike the brain addled way that
Grand-Pa Simpson would that he had no idea what I was talking about......
Sure, I might have ben on some medication at the time, but this looked so vivid, so real to me. Yet, there was no apparent damage and this was like months after the occurrence of some other personal problem of mine . Hinted at on thread topic that is now locked.
Could some pranksters that have access to hi-tech gear that had been set up nearby on the onset of a thunderstorm.
These pranksters, might have been army or some Brainiac nerds from a nearby university campus (Which is really over the other side of town!) testing out some experiment tech of theirs.
We may not be on living on the same property as them, but I suspect something is going on there. Some secret society thing where we are actually considered to be on their turf. If you get my meaning thee.
A lot of weird shit has been going on with my father and the place I once called home (Where I am now!) since I had got back from four-five year working excursion south, in the states
Victoria and
New South Wales and since my mother died. This being the reason I had to return home where I lost a lot of my recently earned independance while living on the streets of
Sydney.
Nothing has been quite the same here, and even the nearby city of
Brisbane had gone through some structural changes and in the even closer town I live in where the older parts of it were being abandoned and a new shopping complex was in it's middle stages of being built and would be finished for another year or so.
This place was big and shinier looking than the rest of this town, but we shop there now.
Anyway, all this just adds to the minor surrealites that have ben occurring around me since I moved back home.
Yeah, I know this has gone off topic and it may need to be further discussed on another thread of it's own if anybody wants to.
BTW here is a link to
Struck by Lightening (http://forums.theonering.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=88760) posted a few minutes, or hours, or another day after that little incident happened.
Another new TV spot (https://youtu.be/QQbNmmTNAZ4), dodgy recording. Some lovely crisp action in this one.
The Tordelclan will be first in the queue come release date, I'd say. :-) Z
Even better, just a pity it's outside job.
BTW, TD you said something earlier in Rodian, about....Looking forward to this for a long time. Just looking at the page where I matches you words with the Greedo's dialoge, the English translation for how Han in that scene doesn't read the same way it sounded. It's like he greeted him in English or broken English, but with that thick accent of his. Seem more like it, and yet the rest of scene resumes his normal gobblety gook.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 15 November, 2015, 09:38:51 AM
The Tordelclan will be first in the queue come release date, I'd say. :-) Z
To be honest I think there's little chance that I'll enjoy this movie a fraction as much as I'd like to - it's clearly very slickly made, the little redesigns are well judged, the cast look great, but other than that rain-soaked picture of Kylo and chums (which looks like a miniscule element or even a flashback, since the environment and characters appear nowhere else in the rest of the material) I've really seen nothing that grabs me. I've said from the start that I wanted something
new, rather than a lively retread with modern effects, and I've pretty much given up any hope of that.
So I'm making the best of the ad campaign, enjoying chasing, puzzling and pondering, but in the expectation that this is the most fun I'm likely to get out of the project. But you never know.
Quote from: Tordelback on 15 November, 2015, 09:29:55 AM
Another new TV spot (https://youtu.be/QQbNmmTNAZ4), dodgy recording. Some lovely crisp action in this one.
I'm beginning to feel sorry for those talented peeps putting together the super-cut versions of all the released footage.
Just when they think they can sit back and crack open a beer.....
Gonna have to stop watching these as well, ;-)
(http://m.memegen.com/jxbews.jpg)
Now, just imagine if
Mister Ford is a certain
2000AD author here!
This film will be 135 minutes long.
So the new thing in EP.VII is that Star Wars gets it's own version of Dredd (another attendant for LAWCON) and they cover the bottom half of his face - just for a change:
Constable Zuvio - a "vigilant law officer on a mostly lawless world" who "keeps order in a frontier trading post". He's also apparently "tough and humorless".
They even look like Carlos Ezquerra designed them.
(http://empireonline.media/jpg/50/0/0/640/480/aspectfit/0/0/0/0/0/0/c/articles/5649fcff5d705c7d04fd187f/EP7_IA_30086_ED.jpg)
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/exclusive-first-look-brand-new-star-wars-character-constable-zuvio/
One lesson learned from TPM anyway - covering the mouth saves a fortune in unconvincing animatronics.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 November, 2015, 11:51:01 PM
So the new thing in EP.VII is that Star Wars gets it's own version of Dredd (another attendant for LAWCON) and they cover the bottom half of his face - just for a change:
Constable Zuvio - a "vigilant law officer on a mostly lawless world" who "keeps order in a frontier trading post". He's also apparently "tough and humorless".
They even look like Carlos Ezquerra designed them.
(http://empireonline.media/jpg/50/0/0/640/480/aspectfit/0/0/0/0/0/0/c/articles/5649fcff5d705c7d04fd187f/EP7_IA_30086_ED.jpg)
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/exclusive-first-look-brand-new-star-wars-character-constable-zuvio/
I was looking at the action figure for that one, either owns and wields these two hand-axes or what ever they are supposed to be. I think it did say hand-axes, but they're kind of exotic looking for those type of things.
Judging by the eyes and the way they are set in the upper face, he may be related to the
Grebleips (https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTXNGmvKzOIn_dHdXZpnMX1bCDh8w-Z15piY1t5349wrnDzU5uI47HuJ_9-).....you know
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTXNGmvKzOIn_dHdXZpnMX1bCDh8w-Z15piY1t5349wrnDzU5uI47HuJ_9-)
Bit anxious about this film after Paris - lots of people in unsecure dark places.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 17 November, 2015, 07:33:56 AM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 16 November, 2015, 11:51:01 PM
So the new thing in EP.VII is that Star Wars gets it's own version of Dredd (another attendant for LAWCON) and they cover the bottom half of his face - just for a change:
Constable Zuvio - a "vigilant law officer on a mostly lawless world" who "keeps order in a frontier trading post". He's also apparently "tough and humorless".
They even look like Carlos Ezquerra designed them.
(http://empireonline.media/jpg/50/0/0/640/480/aspectfit/0/0/0/0/0/0/c/articles/5649fcff5d705c7d04fd187f/EP7_IA_30086_ED.jpg)
http://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/exclusive-first-look-brand-new-star-wars-character-constable-zuvio/
I was looking at the action figure for that one, either owns and wields these two hand-axes or what ever they are supposed to be. I think it did say hand-axes, but they're kind of exotic looking for those type of things.
Judging by the eyes and the way they are set in the upper face, he may be related to the Grebleips (http://grebleips).....you know E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
(https://tse2.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M40abfd42dcbac6e754bea1c89437b5b5o0&pid=15.1)
(Hard to find a good picture of that!)
Fixed the
Grebleips link.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 17 November, 2015, 07:57:25 AM
Bit anxious about this film after Paris - lots of people in unsecure dark places.
That thought had crossed my mind too - but what can you do, and where do you stop? If we're talking soft targets with maximum impact, the walk to the carpark at Eurodisney is open to the world and completely packed with 1000s of French and others suckling at the US teat every day at chucking-out time.
Quote from: Tordelback on 17 November, 2015, 10:37:17 AM
That thought had crossed my mind too - but what can you do, and where do you stop? If we're talking soft targets with maximum impact, the walk to the carpark at Eurodisney is open to the world and completely packed with 1000s of French and others suckling at the US teat every day at chucking-out time.
Exactly. An alternative example: we're intentionally creating bottlenecks at airports with security checks. One suicide bomber there, a few more by the exits a couple of minutes later. You'd rack up a body count far higher than actually bringing down a plane.
The thing is: the terrorists want to get into your head; to
terrorise you. We defeat them by not being terrorised. You're
still more likely to be killed crossing the road, choking on your food, or being kicked to death by a donkey than you are to die in a terrorist attack.
Cheers
Jim
As you say, set off a couple of bombs in a large confined crowd and the panic and stampede would kill many, many more than the blast....christ to even have to envisage this sort of madness makes me shudder. Z
Watching the Ireland match last night, out of the blue my son said he hoped no-one would try to blow this stadium up. Without wanting to drag yet another thread down and into politics, there's really no defence against an opponent willing to die or be caught, and with an endless list of targets, means and opportunities - not even reading everyone's emails. All you can do is try to take away his motivation, and it might be nice if someone tried that for a change.
And otherwise just keep on keeping on.
Quote from: Tordelback on 17 November, 2015, 02:00:52 PM
All you can do is try to take away his motivation, and it might be nice if someone tried that for a change.
Only a treasonous communist bastard would dare to suggest such a thing!
Still, how about them Jedi? :-)
Cheers!
Jim
Fear leads to anger and so forth
QuoteYou're still more likely to be killed crossing the road, choking on your food, or being kicked to death by a donkey than you are to die in a terrorist attack.
This. That I might die in a terrorist attack - or even some kind of random shooting - is so minuscule a risk that I don't waste my time worrying about it. It literally never even crosses my mind.
Instead I dedicate my time to worrying about all the mundane yet equally traumatic, horrible shit that
is actually statistically pretty likely to happen to me or someone close to me.
Moving swiftly on - apologies if I'm just sharing this from another forumer on FB but I cannot refind who shared this:
You Won't Live to See the Final Star Wars Movie (http://www.wired.com/2015/11/building-the-star-wars-universe/?mbid=social_twitter)
A marginally harrowing and also slightly exciting look at the sprawling continuity paracosms being rolled out using existing franchises and a look into the terrifying beating heart of Disney's Star Wars. One pump for joy and creativity, the other for overwhelmingly endless profit.
a very very interesting read and also confirms something I was blathering about a few pages back:
"Working with Lawrence Kasdan, who wrote The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, Abrams developed another list: "The feeling we wanted was from the first trilogy," Kasdan says. "It's fun, it's delightful, it moves like a son of a bitch, and you don't question too much."
You heard TB, switch your brain off, it's Star Wars time! Now and forever fuckin' onwards.
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 November, 2015, 09:46:50 PM
You heard TB, switch your brain off, it's Star Wars time! Now and forever fuckin' onwards.
Hehe that what I said many times, switch off brain and enjoy films!
Quote from: CrazyFoxMachine on 17 November, 2015, 09:46:50 PM
Moving swiftly on - apologies if I'm just sharing this from another forumer on FB but I cannot refind who shared this:
You Won't Live to See the Final Star Wars Movie (http://www.wired.com/2015/11/building-the-star-wars-universe/?mbid=social_twitter)
Nice opening piccy by Ulises Farinas there!
You know the drill (https://youtu.be/K9-aHfKcelI). And... cue racists, and 'fans' who have never listened to any previous SW dialogue.
Really liked this one - the scenes in the ruins look great, although I wish I'd seen some of those reveals in the cinema for the first time, and think I may stop watching these things now. Less than a month to go.
Quote from: Tordelbackthink I may stop watching these things now. Less than a month to go.
Yes, time to switch off from these, I think.
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 November, 2015, 06:30:37 AM
You know the drill (https://youtu.be/K9-aHfKcelI). And... cue racists, and 'fans' who have never listened to any previous SW dialogue.
Or seen anything else by JJA -
especially his sci-fi.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 19 November, 2015, 11:11:25 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 November, 2015, 06:30:37 AM
You know the drill (https://youtu.be/K9-aHfKcelI). And... cue racists, and 'fans' who have never listened to any previous SW dialogue.
Or seen anything else by JJA - especially his sci-fi.
Yes indeedy. At one level it's good to see that JJ is bringing his own voice to this. At another... well.
(http://i.imgur.com/TIawQ33.jpg)
These lads almost certainly have shields too, if the toys are any indication, bringing us almost fully back to the original McQuarrie design, without over-doing the lightsabre thing. I approve.
(http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51b3dc8ee4b051b96ceb10de/t/525039dde4b06da770233da6/1380989410163/6ldLA00.jpg)
Off topic slightly, but there's some very nice stuff relating to the older films being released, in the run up to the Force Awakens coming out..
(http://i.imgur.com/KjmE1Be.jpg)
HERE (http://www.idwpublishing.com/product/star-wars-artifact-edition/)
Lovely. Conversely they appear to be reprinting that godawful 'recoloured' version of Marvel SW in the back of the Shattered Empire collections to make up the page numbers. I nearly bought Vol 1today, then recoiled in horror.
A new action figure...
(http://i.imgur.com/4cLyNsS.jpg)
I wonder why the Stormtroopers are equipped with this new lightsabre fighting gear when the jedi have been extinct for 30 years and there only seem to be 2 lightsabres left in the galaxy, one of them being wielded by their boss.
Well well well... looks like we got ourselves a thinker here, fellas.
YOUR KIND AIN'T WELCOME AT A JJ ABRAMS MOVIE BOY.
Quote from: Spaceghost on 20 November, 2015, 10:01:36 AM
I wonder why the Stormtroopers are equipped with this new lightsabre fighting gear when the jedi have been extinct for 30 years and there only seem to be 2 lightsabres left in the galaxy, one of them being wielded by their boss.
Isn't it set thirty years after ROTJ and so lots of Jedi scum would have been born infecting the Universe with their 'justice' nonsense?
Quote from: Spaceghost on 20 November, 2015, 10:01:36 AM
I wonder why the Stormtroopers are equipped with this new lightsabre fighting gear when the jedi have been extinct for 30 years and there only seem to be 2 lightsabres left in the galaxy, one of them being wielded by their boss.
You maybe got good point as clue in new film title - "The Force Awakens"?
Quote from: Spaceghost on 20 November, 2015, 10:01:36 AM
I wonder why the Stormtroopers are equipped with this new lightsabre fighting gear when the jedi have been extinct for 30 years and there only seem to be 2 lightsabres left in the galaxy, one of them being wielded by their boss.
Midichlorians. They did it.
Stealthing
Shadow-Troopers....Cool!
(https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.M8e50d6bc1644c4f9edce515539e308cco0&pid=15.1)
Quote from: IAMTHESYSTEM on 20 November, 2015, 11:10:27 AM
Quote from: Spaceghost on 20 November, 2015, 10:01:36 AM
I wonder why the Stormtroopers are equipped with this new lightsabre fighting gear when the jedi have been extinct for 30 years and there only seem to be 2 lightsabres left in the galaxy, one of them being wielded by their boss.
Isn't it set thirty years after ROTJ and so lots of Jedi scum would have been born infecting the Universe with their 'justice' nonsense?
According to the trailer, the Force, jedi and the dark side have all faded into myth, suggesting that there are no jedi about these days.
The more variant charachters, the more models you flog? Z
Those batons the Stormtroopers wield are probably just clubs like the coppers have in Futurama, used for riots and that, hence the riot shields they all carry, too.
There will most likely be several spin-off novels explaining this in more detail.
There have been weird polearms and electric-looking axes of all sorts throughout the SW films and cartoons - hand to hand combat is alive and well in the OT era, so why wouldn't stormtroopers be similarly equipped? The Emperor's Royal Guard for a start - in this post-EU world who knows what those pike-things do? We know there are battlefield forcefields that you can pass slow moving objects through but can't shoot through, and we know the Empire was brought down by spears and arrows...
Plus the trailer shows a bunch of sinister types standing with Kylo Ren in a field of bodies, and some of them are equipped with what are obviously bladed weapons. Thinking that Luke/Finn and Kylo are it as far as guys with lethal melee weapons is foolish.
And even if there wasn't a mountain of precdent, Gods forbid there should be something new in this movie...
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 November, 2015, 01:09:40 PM
Thinking that Luke/Finn and Kylo are it as far as guys with lethal melee weapons is foolish.
That's it. OUTSIDE NOW.
And bring your electric stick with you.
'Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, Tordel.' ;) Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 20 November, 2015, 02:09:01 PM
'Hokey religions and ancient weapons'
I always wondered about the age difference between Luke and Han - would Han have been old enough to remember the Clone Wars and Jedi everywhere with force powers and lightsabers?
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 20 November, 2015, 02:41:25 PM
Quote from: ZenArcade on 20 November, 2015, 02:09:01 PM
'Hokey religions and ancient weapons'
I always wondered about the age difference between Luke and Han - would Han have been old enough to remember the Clone Wars and Jedi everywhere with force powers and lightsabers?
Another 'thinker'! Quick .. get him.
Considering the fact that Luke and Leia were born right at the end of the clone wars (and I think Han is 5-10 years older, but I'm not that good at guessing ages) he should have been a child in the clone wars.
So he should have been well aware of the Jedi, but he might not have seen any himself. I think his home planet Correllia is quite a major industrial world so I would think it would have been a target for a separatist attack, but whether any got through, I don't know. (I can't remember if Correllia featured in the Clone Wars cartoons, or if I saw that episode. I have yet to see the last series... or is it two, series?)
So I'm sure he would have seen clone troopers and battle droids in vid-footage, if not personally. And maybe a jedi commander or two (bearing in mind they're stretched thin and the troopers did the bulk of the fighting) at a distance or on a vid-screen.
I don't find it unbelievable that he would not have heard much about the force however, or seen it in action. He should have heard it mentioned, but whether he actually believed it it or not is another thing. It wasn't part of his life during that period or later until Luke turned up.
So I would perhaps interpret his statement about the force and 'hokey religions' in that light. Not that he hadn't actually heard of them, but that he didn't believe in them, and wouldn't rely on them over his own guile and his trusty blaster.
Granted, that's not quite what he said....
He'd have been in his early to mid 30's I suppose. Say early teens during Clone Wars. The Jedi did pretty much get wiped by guys with blasters mind you. Z
George Lucas' blue milk has turned sour.
"The issue was ultimately that they looked at the stories and they said, 'We want to make something for the fans,'" Lucas said. "People don't actually realize it's actually a soap opera and it's all about family problems - it's not about spaceships. So they decided they didn't want to use those stories, they decided they were going to do their own thing so I decided, 'fine.... I'll go my way and I let them go their way.'"
http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/george-lucas-explains-his-break-up-with-star-wars-says-franchise-is-a-soap-opera-and-not-about-spaceships-20151120
Yeah Lucas, totally not about spaceships. I especially like all the character moments added into the remastered versions. Would have sucked if he'd just added more spaceships.
George should have 'walked away' years ago.
You don't have to be either a Jedi or a Sith Lord to wield a lightsaber apparently. Grievous happened, after all.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 20 November, 2015, 05:09:52 PM
You don't have to be either a Jedi or a Sith Lord to wield a lightsaber apparently.
Han Solo knew how to turn one on and make
Tauntaun sauce.
QuoteI always wondered about the age difference between Luke and Han - would Han have been old enough to remember the Clone Wars and Jedi everywhere with force powers and lightsabers?
The timeline just doesn't make any sense as presented, does it? Watching the original films, I always kind of imagined that the Jedi were like a loosely affiliated band of wandering ronin/Man With No Name types - and had a semi-mythical status even before they were all wiped out. That even at the height of the Jedi's power you could live your whole life in the Star Wars universe never seeing a Jedi or believing in the Force. IIRC the prequels touch on this, with young Anakin's awe at meeting Qui Gonn in TPM, but then kind of blows it by cramming the other two films with more Jedis and lightsabers than you can wave an electric stick at, to the point where they appear ubiqitous, making the notion that they'd have faded into myth a mere twenty years later seem completely implausible. I also never liked the notion that they'd have a centralised temple.
Again, I'm really,
really hoping that those making the new films don't feel beholden to the deathly dull realisation of the Jedi according to the prequels - that they were a morose oreder of robe-wearing space-monks. I always liked how in Empire they played with the perception of the Jedi as 'mighty warriors' by introducing Yoda. Imo every new Jedi they introduce should be equally unorthodox and unexpected.
As for the trailers, yes I'm doing my best to stop watching them now. The brief early teasers and trailers were fantastic, but with every frame of new footage that gets released the more little warning signs I'm seeing, and the more I'm being reminded that - ah yes, this is the new film from the guy that made Star Trek Into Darkness and Super 8.
Yeah. I think I'll stop checking in on this thread now as well.
I like Super 8. Sure it's full of pastiche/homage/rip-off but the kids are great (and that opening shot is very simple but clever).
Working solely from facts presented in the 'new canon':
There were about 10,000 Jedi in the Republic (according to Kanan in Rebels). In AotC, before the Clone War has even begun, the opening crawl says 1000s of systems have broken away from the Republic, and Dooku predicts 10,000 more Star systems will join the Separatist alliance. So that's an original Republic of (let's say) 25,000 star systems at minimum - 1 Jedi per 2.5 star systems.
In TPM Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation, which has a seat in the Senate, has never encountered a Jedi. Also in TPM we learn that Tatooine, and by extension a lot of the Outer Rim, lies outside the Republic - so the Jedi don't even consider significant chunks of the galaxy as being their responsibility.
On Coruscant alone, which judging from the orbital view must have an unfathomably vast population of 100s of billions, those 10,000 Jedi fit into one building.
It seems likely that effectively no-one in the galaxy has met a Jedi, never mind seen one in action. When they do step up onto the galactic stage it is as military generals in an unpopular war. Yes, they swing those glowsticks around, but they still rely on technology and manpower to get things done - are their mystic powers actually real, or just a lot of clever tricks? After all, they turned out to be lying traitors, didn't they?
Sure, the Vatican says those old guys performed miracles, and Mary really did appear to those girls, but as far as I can tell those lads in the funny robes are just ordinary blokes clinging on to power through superstition...
(https://45.media.tumblr.com/d1ebb4eb0356e53d5cc09723f0e4bd13/tumblr_ny1u2zTmvv1u8e5pro1_400.gif)
The Jedi seem ubiquitous only because the movies are about the Jedi, but how many people have met a shaolin monk? A lot of people know what a shaolin monk is, but many will need it explaining to them, and even then they might not believe in them, etc.
The Star Wars galaxy is a vast place where a kid from a desert planet can walk into a bar and clap eyes on a species he's never seen seen before in his life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qc6zfoxlJU), so it's not much of a stretch to suggest there's plenty of things that haven't been seen by the average joe inhabiting such a collage of cultures.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 20 November, 2015, 08:27:00 PM
The Jedi seem ubiquitous only because the movies are about the Jedi, but how many people have met a shaolin monk? A lot of people know what a shaolin monk is, but many will need it explaining to them, and even then they might not believe in them, etc.
The Star Wars galaxy is a vast place where a kid from a desert planet can walk into a bar and clap eyes on a species he's never seen seen before in his life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qc6zfoxlJU), so it's not much of a stretch to suggest there's plenty of things that haven't been seen by the average joe inhabiting such a collage of cultures.
Unfortunately it's hard to get a proper sense of that vastness from the films when they repeatedly show Darth Vader bumping into the same protocol droid he re-built when he was a youngling on a supposedly 'remote' fringe-world that everyone in the galaxy just can't stay away from. Those droids seem more ubiquitous than the Jedi.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 November, 2015, 09:03:25 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 20 November, 2015, 08:27:00 PM
The Jedi seem ubiquitous only because the movies are about the Jedi, but how many people have met a shaolin monk? A lot of people know what a shaolin monk is, but many will need it explaining to them, and even then they might not believe in them, etc.
The Star Wars galaxy is a vast place where a kid from a desert planet can walk into a bar and clap eyes on a species he's never seen seen before in his life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qc6zfoxlJU), so it's not much of a stretch to suggest there's plenty of things that haven't been seen by the average joe inhabiting such a collage of cultures.
Unfortunately it's hard to get a proper sense of that vastness from the films when they repeatedly show Darth Vader bumping into the same protocol droid he re-built when he was a youngling on a supposedly 'remote' fringe-world that everyone in the galaxy just can't stay away from. Those droids seem more ubiquitous than the Jedi.
That's exactly it. All the prequels did was make the Star Wars universe tiny and strip away any sense of scale or mystery from it.
Quote from: radiator on 20 November, 2015, 09:09:40 PMThat's exactly it. All the prequels did was make the Star Wars universe tiny and strip away any sense of scale or mystery from it.
They could've used the droids to show the vastness of the galaxy by going back to their original concept: robot slaves being passed-on to
different owners that lead the audience through the story.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 November, 2015, 09:22:57 PM!
Quote from: radiator on 20 November, 2015, 09:09:40 PMThat's exactly it. All the prequels did was make the Star Wars universe tiny and strip away any sense of scale or mystery from it.
They could've used the droids to show the vastness of the galaxy by going back to their original concept: robot slaves being passed-on to different owners that lead the audience through the story.
Agree with all of the above. There is a certain (retconning) logic to the droids passing from Padme to Leia which I don't object to, but it's the oddity of Ani building 3PO and then his ending up on the Lars farm TWICE that really shrinks the galaxy to nothing. I'd almost forgive it if we saw Anakin's precocious technical abilities put to any use in the subsequent films (like, for example, his having a role in rebuilding himself as Vader), but we don't - it serves no purpose but to irritate.
That said, the bare-wires 3PO is an excellent puppetry effect.
NEW TRAILER (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fDlPI1vI2A)
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 November, 2015, 10:39:49 PM
I'd almost forgive it if we saw Anakin's precocious technical abilities put to any use in the subsequent films (like, for example, his having a role in rebuilding himself as Vader)
That's too much responsibility for a phantomly conceived whiner who blames everyone else for his problems.
This is another beef I have with the Prequels - there are no connections between L'il Ani and Whiny Ani. Anakin of TPM may be an annoyingly cutesy moptop, but he seems like a decent lttle guy - helpful, hopeful, loving, enthusiastic, even respectful. Anakin of AotC and RotS is none of those things. By the time we meet him again he's already a dick - we never see how that kid becomes that teenager.
L'il Ani even comes with his own foreshadowing that isn't ever used: "I dreamt I was a Jedi and came back here and freed all the slaves"; "I'm going to be he first person to see them all [the planets]". Those sound mildly interesting directions for the character, as well as opportunities to become corrupted, but like the ability to build a droid and the fastest podracer out of scrap at age 10, they are never mentioned again.
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 November, 2015, 12:01:35 AM
This is another beef I have with the Prequels - there are no connections between L'il Ani and Whiny Ani. Anakin of TPM may be an annoyingly cutesy moptop, but he seems like a decent lttle guy - helpful, hopeful, loving, enthusiastic, even respectful. Anakin of AotC and RotS is none of those things. By the time we meet him again he's already a dick - we never see how that kid becomes that teenager.
L'il Ani even comes with his own foreshadowing that isn't ever used: "I dreamt I was a Jedi and came back here and freed all the slaves"; "I'm going to be he first person to see them all [the planets]". Those sound mildly interesting directions for the character, as well as opportunities to become corrupted, but like the ability to build a droid and the fastest podracer out of scrap at age 10, they are never mentioned again.
Yeah, it's almost as if the guy writing those films polished them off in a single draft without a clear overall plan.
Quote from: radiator on 21 November, 2015, 03:01:55 AM
Yeah, it's almost as if the guy writing those films polished them off in a single draft without a clear overall plan.
Yep. Although as part of that there may also be an element of George changing/dropping what little plan he had based on the response to TPM - there is an increasing level of fan-friendly bollocks as the films grind on. Although perversely I find each successive film less interesting and more frustrating as the noose closes, and what vision there was vanishes.
I cheer myself up with what might have been - The Binks Awakens (https://youtu.be/yo7_qW4pPrc).
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 November, 2015, 07:12:33 AM
Quote from: radiator on 21 November, 2015, 03:01:55 AM
Yeah, it's almost as if the guy writing those films polished them off in a single draft without a clear overall plan.
Yep. Although as part of that there may also be an element of George changing/dropping what little plan he had based on the response to TPM - there is an increasing level of fan-friendly bollocks as the films grind on. Although perversely I find each successive film less interesting and more frustrating as the noose closes, and what vision there was vanishes.
I cheer myself up with what might have been - The Binks Awakens (https://youtu.be/yo7_qW4pPrc).
Yes, despite his protestations, he was clearly bowing to fan pressure and trying to give them what they wanted in films 2 and 3 (ie a lightsaber fight every five minutes, Boba Fett, etc etc). ISTR him insisting that he didn't care about the backlash and that Jar Jar was still going to be a major character for a long time before it turned out he'd been quietly reduced to a walk-on part.
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 November, 2015, 06:59:46 PM
Working solely from facts presented in the 'new canon':
There were about 10,000 Jedi in the Republic (according to Kanan in Rebels). In AotC, before the Clone War has even begun, the opening crawl says 1000s of systems have broken away from the Republic, and Dooku predicts 10,000 more Star systems will join the Separatist alliance. So that's an original Republic of (let's say) 25,000 star systems at minimum - 1 Jedi per 2.5 star systems.
More like a million, as per the ANH novelisation (Tarkin:"This station is the final link in the new-forged Imperial chain which will bind the million systems of the galactic Empire together once and for all.") Which makes it even more possible for the Jedi to become quasi-mythical so soon. the Star Wars galaxy is
big.
Quote
In TPM Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation, which has a seat in the Senate, has never encountered a Jedi. Also in TPM we learn that Tatooine, and by extension a lot of the Outer Rim, lies outside the Republic - so the Jedi don't even consider significant chunks of the galaxy as being their responsibility.
On Coruscant alone, which judging from the orbital view must have an unfathomably vast population of 100s of billions, those 10,000 Jedi fit into one building.
Again, more like 100s of trillions for it to have a population density to make it meaningfully a city planet ( see Curtis Saxton's calculations (http://www.theforce.net/swtc/astro.html#coruscant)).
There have been many figures given for the size of the Republic, but like I say, I'm arguing only from the current definition of canonical sources, which in its very loosest sense only includes the novelisations where they are not contradicted by things seen on screen in the six movies, The Clone Wars and Rebels cartoons. (Although note they do not appear in Kathleen Kennedy's list of official canon) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_canon#Determining_canonicity).
Supporting a smaller Republic from canon is the idea that thousands of star systems would mean a significant-enough secession to spark a galaxy-wide war, and the fact that there are around 1,000 pods in the Senate and more than a few represent Corporations, which for the (pre-movie novelisation, in which Luke flies in Blue Squadron and Obi-Wan kills Kabe in the cantina) million-strong figure would mean each Senator represents over 1,000 star systems - which is very much at odds with how they are presented in The Clone Wars. And also note that Tarkin's figure is for the Empire, not the Republic - and Empires always need to grow to survive.
Personally I always imagined the Republic as inconceivably vast and ancient, as it is described in the original novelisation - the Republic of legend. And as you say, a galactic empire is big.
As for Coruscant, I've always loved Travis' calculations and their often unassailable space maths, but they generally end up at a point where the things we see on screen simply cannot be as they appear, or their implications are totally unpalatable (the Endor holocaust, for example). The figure most touted in the dear departed EU was a trillion Coruscanti, but I've no problem accepting a much higher number - although AotC indicated that large areas of the planet are occupied by industry and industrial wasteland, even in and around the miles-high starscrapers of the Senate discrict.
Right, say the earth and Coruscant are roughly the same size: 510 million sq km. Say we give every citizen on coruscant 93 sq m (the size of a large house). So divide 510 million Sq km by 93 sq m gives 5 Trillion 130 billion people. So say Coruscant is a planet wide city 2 km in height and we divide that by say 40 giving subdivisions 50 m high. That gives a potential population of over 205 trillion denzins with ample space for industry, business, recrestion etc. ;) Z
It's conversations like this that make me realise just how much of a geek I'm not.
Quote from: M.I.K. on 21 November, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
It's conversations like this that make me realise just how much of a geek I'm not.
:lol:
New TV Spot
https://youtu.be/ZufsxCMIAV8 (https://youtu.be/ZufsxCMIAV8)
Quote from: M.I.K. on 21 November, 2015, 07:25:14 PM
It's conversations like this that make me realise just how much of a geek I'm not.
I resent that implication. I'm a
nerd, thank you very much.
Two more TV spots and the first actual clip...? No sorry, I'm running for the hills (of blissful ignorance). Although on a more positive note, the missus is insisting we book our tickets soon...
Yeah, fucking cheek. Geek: well I've never etc. Z
Quote from: Tordelback on 23 November, 2015, 11:39:50 AM
Two more TV spots and the first actual clip...? No sorry, I'm running for the hills (of blissful ignorance). Although on a more positive note, the missus is insisting we book our tickets soon...
Yeah Ive stopped watching at this point. We need something left for the cinema
In the meantime....
(http://i.imgur.com/X1NNRf0.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/sgdyfog.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/9A8qcCM.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/3izewuA.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/NLN3lAF.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/2mSvaLy.jpg)
Nice. I particularly liked the Han and Chewie one.
The others are nice but the foreground characters seem a little too 'tacked on' to the background. Less integrated, if you get what I mean .
Honest Trailers nails it:
https://youtu.be/pegJQPIzfs4
A rather wonderful childhood recollection of "Star Wars" in the link below that I imagine many of us will relate to.
(Or maybe I'm just getting sentimental in my old age, lol).
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/are-you-there-darth-it-s-me-paul-1.2436516
Quote from: Spikes on 23 November, 2015, 06:05:34 PM
In the meantime....
(http://i.imgur.com/X1NNRf0.jpg)
Now why couldn't that be possible.
Is Uptown Girl actually about the relationship between Han Solo and Princess Leia?
an old clip, but it never gets tired: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZBevXohCI (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eZBevXohCI)
I take it you've seen the latest footage?
http://youtu.be/tUW7EDJmWUA
Quote from: Goaty on 24 November, 2015, 12:16:20 PM
(http://i.imgur.com/2mSvaLy.jpg)
Do those blaster rifles have a fixed stock
and the Sterling SMG folding stock? That's going to bug the hell out of me.
...
I need help.
Late to the party there JP, this has been giving me ulcers for months! They do indeed appear to have the old folding stock and an optional detachable 'fixed' stock, although I've seen toy versions where the folding stock appears to be deployable as an under-barrel grip. I suppose it remains to be seen how all this works.
There appear to be a disquieting lack of more advanced ship types on show. Where are the TIE. interceptors,; A and B wings? Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 04 December, 2015, 11:22:26 AM
There appear to be a disquieting lack of more advanced ship types on show. Where are the TIE. interceptors,; A and B wings? Z
Would the remnants of the Empire have the money to develop new weapons? Easier and cheaper to make weapons based on a *ahem* 'proven' design and make modifications to that.
But, yeah, the Republic should have been able to come up with some new designs. Or maybe we just haven't seen them yet.
Tickets now booked for the family on Xmas eve, HYPE!
Means I need to avoid the internet and people in general for a week though.
Most airplanes in use today are decades old, and the space shuttle - our own honest-to-goodness spaceship - was first launched in 1981. If ships work like they're supposed to, you'll get a good bit of mileage out of them before they're succeeded by better technology, and the Tie fighters from the OT were only a couple of years old going by the canon.
Fairly put, but TIE interceptor designs et al were flying around Death Star 2. Z
Abrams has said he went for the traditional Tie designs over the interceptors as he felt it evoked the spirit of Star Trek better
I see, the prevalence of TIE fighters and X Wings in STTOS was a source of constant joy to me. Z :-)
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 04 December, 2015, 12:54:30 PM
Most airplanes in use today are decades old, and the space shuttle - our own honest-to-goodness spaceship - was first launched in 1981. If ships work like they're supposed to, you'll get a good bit of mileage out of them before they're succeeded by better technology, and the Tie fighters from the OT were only a couple of years old going by the canon.
Obligatory mention of the US B52 fleet. The newest plane was built in 1962 and the current plan is for them to still be in service until 2040. To be fair there is a big element of "I've had this axe for fifty years. It's only had six new blades and ten new handles." to this.
Quote from: James Stacey on 04 December, 2015, 01:43:29 PM
Abrams has said he went for the traditional Tie designs over the interceptors as he felt it evoked the spirit of Star Trek better
I of course meant Star Wars :-[
:lol: I know you did buddy. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 04 December, 2015, 11:22:26 AM
There appear to be a disquieting lack of more advanced ship types on show. Where are the TIE. interceptors,; A and B wings? Z
Don't Google "Lego 2016 Force Awkens sets" is all's I'm sayin'.
Especially don't click "shopping" as a Google filter and look at the price of the fucking things.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 04 December, 2015, 12:54:30 PM
Most airplanes in use today are decades old, and the space shuttle - our own honest-to-goodness spaceship - was first launched in 1981.
And the Boeing 747 was introduced in 1970.
I prefer the Interceptor though :-/
To be fair these are upgraded ties. They now seat two pilots so are bigger than the originals and also feature tail guns. So uses the same design but is upgraded, much like the new version of the x wing (though that seems to be more design than upgraded).
Quote from: The Cosh on 04 December, 2015, 02:07:33 PM
Obligatory mention of the US B52 fleet. The newest plane was built in 1962 and the current plan is for them to still be in service until 2040. To be fair there is a big element of "I've had this axe for fifty years. It's only had six new blades and ten new handles." to this.
My take on it, is that these ARE different model ships, just based on the old designs. (Edit - confirmed by SIP. I take so long with my posts.) They don't look exactly the same after all. But these tie-fighters might be as fast as interceptors and have shields and hyperdrive for example. And the X-wings may have more advanced hyperdrives and targeting computers and be as fast as A-Wings. (I'm just speculating, I don't know if this is the case.)
That being said, I would like to see other designs of ship.
I would have liked a variant of the Tie-Interceptors to be the main imperial fighter and some new vessels (akin to the Tie-Advanced and Tie-Defender models of the Tie-Fighter Computer game maybe) as officer or specialist crafts.
I do like their new take on the old crafts though.
By the way, am I the only one who looks at all that footage of Tie-fighters in the new film and thinks "that's a poor design for flying in atmospheres". I LIKE the Tie-fighter design, and those shots are wonderful and atmospheric. And with the sci-fi tech like repulsors and anti-grav thingies it isn't an issue. But that thought does persist.
Gruddamnint, despite having sworn off looking at absolutely ANY Star Wars news or gossip until after next Thursday, while googling for some of the more obscure clone trooper action figures for the Boy's crimbass present I stumbled across a discussion of a particular newly released Force Awakens figure... and in the very first line I had at least one major twist completely spoiled. It's something I'd speculated on for a while myself, which almost makes it worse. Bah, I say. BAH!
I'm off to hide under a rock for 9 days.
I'm with Tordelback. Time to go dark very soon.
Make sure you don't find any 10th century viking relics beneath said rock. Z
Am I the only one looking forward just as much to the slew of shitty b-movie knock-offs trying to cash in? This generation's Ice Pirates or Battle Beyond The Stars could be out any day now, so I am watching the Asda £4 DVD shelves intently.
Is there an ASDA in Cookstown? How's last year's Christmas present doing; hope she's well. Z
Cookstown is very upmarket these days. No-one's been stabbed to death - with a knife - on our main street in nearly four years.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 09 December, 2015, 05:51:58 PM
Am I the only one looking forward just as much to the slew of shitty b-movie knock-offs trying to cash in? This generation's Ice Pirates or Battle Beyond The Stars could be out any day now, so I am watching the Asda £4 DVD shelves intently.
Battle Beyond The Stars was great.
(I want Krull 2016)
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 09 December, 2015, 05:51:58 PM
Am I the only one looking forward just as much to the slew of shitty b-movie knock-offs trying to cash in? This generation's Ice Pirates or Battle Beyond The Stars could be out any day now, so I am watching the Asda £4 DVD shelves intently.
We showed ICE PIRATES at our uni science fiction film night. I still remember the castration machine having everyone howling with laughter.
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 December, 2015, 10:44:46 PM
I'm off to hide under a rock for 9 days.
It can be done! I've not looked at owt relating to the new SW film in a while now.
Though I have had to re-watch the old trailer from time to time for a quick fix...
Quote from: Spikes on 09 December, 2015, 10:50:46 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 December, 2015, 10:44:46 PM
I'm off to hide under a rock for 9 days.
It can be done! I've not looked at owt relating to the new SW film in a while now.
Though I have had to re-watch the old trailer from time to time for a quick fix...
My protective rock must last 1 day more than most, I really want to see this in IMAX, but we could only get tickets for Friday 18th.
Red Leader going dark.
Ok so here's what happens:......... Z lol
Shurup! :lol:
The Japanese trailer is beautiful and BIG*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSFp-gw6lY
*with some added connective tissue spoilerage.
Won't be attending the premiere this time, maybe this time next fortnight.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 December, 2015, 03:47:09 AM
The Japanese trailer is beautiful and BIG*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSFp-gw6lY
*with some added connective tissue spoilerage.
Get thee behind me, Satan!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 December, 2015, 03:47:09 AM
The Japanese trailer is beautiful and BIG*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSFp-gw6lY
*with some added connective tissue spoilerage.
SPACE!
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 December, 2015, 03:47:09 AM
The Japanese trailer is beautiful and BIG*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSFp-gw6lY
*with some added connective tissue spoilerage.
I wish I hadn't watched that. I'm glad I did.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 10 December, 2015, 02:29:52 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 10 December, 2015, 03:47:09 AM
The Japanese trailer is beautiful and BIG*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpSFp-gw6lY
*with some added connective tissue spoilerage.
I wish I hadn't watched that. I'm glad I did.
Better quality version, for Tordelback.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoKUwVsnkUQ&spfreload=10
That trail with the extra footage......
I keep on trying imagine this id for Slaine.
The girl, carrying a big stick and a small robot, and her asking it where it came from while wandering thought hat near planetary, but with familar desert scenery.
Slaine and Ukko wandering through the soured lands.
Han Solo and Chewie.....
Cathbad and some random Wood-Wose.....
Space ships could be those flying boats held up by Weird Stones and when seen in the vacuum of space and using Hyperspace.....
They could be those other machines that was used to take them to Cythrawl after they were frozen by Slough Feg's magic.
The new Sith guy in black armour promising to continue Darth's work while looking at his mostly destroyed helmet.
Son of Feg doing the same. Should have ben Luke, but he has some other purpose.
The Storm-Troopers are so much like Skull-Sword even if they are known for their lousy aim wielding Dart-Dragons instead of Blasters.
Blasters are those Dragon-Themed-Leyser-guns and Light-Sabres replaced by Leyser-Swords.
Did I leave anything out?
Oh Finn, he's really that Taxi-Driver/Enviromental-Terrorist that fights for the Earth-Goddess.
Did I leave anything else out?
I really wanted to alter the trailer that came out about a month earlier to loo like it was for Slaine, I just wanted to use the one that was made as something to paint characters from Slaine over, but don't have the patience combined with talent to even attempt that.
Still those Katakana (Asian/Japanese Script) looks so much like Oghams and still working on my own make shift trailer for Slaine.
Just blown the rest of this week's and next week's spending money on a utility called Spriter-Pro and it may or may not help. Otherwise I will definitely will try going old school.
Only you dude. Z :-)
(http://i.imgur.com/Dxwl8Cl.jpg)
looks like the merchandise (http://metro.co.uk/2015/12/10/these-fake-star-wars-toys-are-hilariously-depressing-for-any-fan-5558066/) is in ... sort of
Less than a week away, I'm pretty pumped! Han is going to shoot Greedo's son first, I'm calling it!
Right, that's me off Twitter for a few days, simply can't tell who will retweet what. Bloody hell, what an avalanche from the premiere! All good reactions so far, but even so...
Quote from: Tordelback on 15 December, 2015, 09:58:25 AM
Right, that's me off Twitter for a few days, simply can't tell who will retweet what. Bloody hell, what an avalanche from the premiere! All good reactions so far, but even so...
I've seen one that's so so as in it's a [spoiler]'JJ Abrams'[/spoiler] film.
Given the investment involved by both Disney and fans (especially those determined to laud the franchise moving on from Lucas' influence), the word is going to be positive regardless of the film's quality, and an objective evaluation will be some time coming.
S'right. But I'll be here with my completely objective spoiler-filled-free assessment on Thursday anyway. Accept no substitutes!
Oh man I'm so fucking pissed that I couldn't make it to any of the premiere for this film.
Right now, I have not a cent to my name because I brought some ultility on Steam that was about 70 dollars, even when I might have had about 15.00 dollars left in my account. What's worse, this happened right before my b-day.
So I have to wait until I get paid again next Monday.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 15 December, 2015, 10:59:51 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 15 December, 2015, 09:58:25 AM
Right, that's me off Twitter for a few days, simply can't tell who will retweet what. Bloody hell, what an avalanche from the premiere! All good reactions so far, but even so...
I've seen one that's so so as in it's a [spoiler]'JJ Abrams'[/spoiler] film.
To be honest, I'm far more inclined to listen to that particular critic than all the more unequivocally positive reviews (most of which seem to be coming from fawning celebs rather than hardened movie critics). He's generally very on-point when it comes to these things, and his apparent issues with the film are things I've been a bit worried about since they announced the director.
People (who haven't seen the film) seem to be arguing against his assertion that the story is [spoiler]'dumb and shitty' by saying that
all Star Wars movies' stories are dumb and shitty.[/spoiler] And I'm sorry, but that's just not remotely true.
Pretty much every major blockbuster these days seems to generate astonishingly positive early buzz, which then promptly dissipates in the cold light of day. I'm not falling for it this time.
I look forward to seeing it, and I'll draw my own conclusions. In general reviews and whatnot are a curiosity I may look at after just for discussion and whatnot, I have no real need for them though. Everybody has their own taste.
I'll be seeing it Friday. Can't get to it anytime sooner and it's my day off so hopefully the cinema should be quite mid morning (haha!!!).
I'll probably just wait for it to come on tv.
Next week when I've got a day off. I'm not really worried about people posting plot spoilers after Thursday, the visual spectacle will suffice for me. Z
We're probably not going to make it along until mid/late January annoyingly, but are going to use the time to re-watch the oldies in preparation. I'm very into seeing it though so hoping I can avoid spoilers for that long, although it seems very unlikely which makes me a bit sad!
My last day at work tomorrow and its Christmas holiday for 3 weeks or so (I work in a college, so we get long breaks. Downside: to get paid, you still have to book it as holiday, despite having to take the days off anyway.)
So I'll have plenty of time to see the film. It will probably not be this weekend or maybe not even next week. It would be nice to wait for the crowds to die down a bit.
I've been catching up with this last two series of Clone Wars. There are some really great gripping stories there. I'm on The Lost Tales now aka season 6.
The early reviews all look positive. 5 stars from the Times and 4 from the Independent and the other reviews I've read all agree that JJ Abrams has captured the spirit and exciting visual spectacle of the original SW Trilogy. So it's lookin' good for the SW franchise and the only downside is that Walt Disney's ghost will be zieg heihling in his grave at all the money his company will be making.
gonna fly down to vue after we drop the lass at school.wife's going house stuff shopping ,i'm sneaking a double sausage and egg mcmuffin in and not caring if she buys loads of bedding and curtains and stuff.
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/12249859_10208112367584229_3435547144945268768_n.jpg?oh=9f8e2d7b6d74e53240ba5ca97ad82b23&oe=57212F66)
Thought for the Day: The next Star Wars film* will also be about a 'Death Star'.
*Rogue One will be the fourth in the Death Star series
A deliberate and successful throwback to the first movie with no mention of midiclorians!
Good in 3D as well.
I'm in the tiny queue, at a sensible time, so let's see what it's all about!
7 hours to go. ...... :D
Here's my spoiler free review (as long as you've seen the trailer)
http://cool-stuff-you-will-like.blogspot.co.uk/2015/12/star-wars-force-awakens-12a.html
Almost there, almost there...
We had a grand 6-film rewatch over the past few weeks, and I'm pleased to report that the outcome was my daughter (6) petitioning Santa for a Chewie costume. 5 hours to go! Stay on target!
:o brilliant,enjoyed it a lot.
Harrison was brilliant as han [spoiler]and his death scene was nicely done and poignant as well as tragic as he thought he was[/spoiler] other big spoiler coming [spoiler]thinking he had brought Ben solo back from being kylo ren which had split him and leia up, losing their son to the dark side...[/spoiler] the supposed flashback scene was more of a vision for one character who we still don't have all the answers to.
c3po is still annoying if not more so but thankfully briefly.
The battles are awesome and there are many. The stormtroopers kick ass and are raised from birth to do snoke's bidding. x-wings vs ties = pure star wars...
The only slight let down asides from me missing the fox fanfare was [spoiler]snoke...good cgi but he looked like Gollum and the big white orc from the hobbit had a baby,a menacing baby nontheless[/spoiler]
all in all a great film, no dressing gown wearing hippies [spoiler]perhaps[/spoiler] battle droids or trade agreements ...
...and I bagged a first order tie pilot from argos as well!!!
a good day
Well as I wont get to see this till Xmas eve I will now be blanking this thread. See you all in a week where I predict I will say its not as good as the old ones but way better than the prequels. :lol:
Quote from: Satanist on 17 December, 2015, 02:07:16 PMits not as good as the old ones (I Dunno) but way better than the prequels.not hard! :lol:
One hour to go!
All you dudes enjoy. Z
Eleven days to go!
:-\
Cheers
Jim
dunno how many days till I see it again...got to persuade my lass she wants to go (I sat through 2 smurf films for her)
I really liked all the new characters. The girl who plays Rey is brilliant.
Hmmmmm.......not sure how I felt about it. Currently thinking that I still preferred revenge of the sith.....
It IS Star Wars. Phew.
A few too many familiar ingredients perhaps but great film.
No SPOILERS per se, but my immediate reactions:
[spoiler]
Well I didn't enjoy watching that very much. In fact my main reaction was that this wasn't a story, it was a pilot episode. Albeit a pilot for a series I really want to see.
Bad stuff first: As expected it was far, far too derivative of its predecessors, to the point that I found certain box-ticking bits surprisingly boring, but as a 'passing the baton' film it worked well, until it stumbled a bit into reverse at the very end. The plot, and the order of the various reveals, was horribly muddled, leaving me frequently confused as to the stakes, and the decision to leave one major heavily-trailed mystery unaddressed felt cheap and forced.
I also felt the info-dump scenes were handled in Prequel-dull fashion, and yet they often made me feel that I'd missed a more interesting movie than this one. And yet I still have no idea how the various groups mentioned relate to each other, including our heroes, which would be okay, except everyone in the movie seemed to know all this.
It may have been the rather poor screen, but a lot of the spaceship effects felt weightless and the dogfighting impossible to follow - and dare I say it, some of the CGI character work weak. Finally, there was a lot of background cast just standing around doing nothing, and on occasion lining up to be in group shots, which took me out of things.
The Good: the new cast were great, the old cast were great, Han was great, BB8 was great, the lightsabre fights were great Kylo Ren was surprisingly great - what a cool villain. The chemistry between Rey and Finn was cool, likewise Rey and Han, and Poe and Finn. Background aliens and droids were fun. Abramsisms were actually okay - he made the film after all. And the kids really enjoyed it.
I suspect I'll enjoy watching it a lot more the next time, now the tension is gone, and I suspect the next one will be better, now this bridging effort is out of the way. 6/10? [/spoiler]
But yeah: it is Star Wars, and better than the last one.
Overall a big thumbs up though there is quite a "Star Wars Greatest Hits" feel to it.
Technically, I have three days before I can use money again. Doesn't mean I have to see it next Monday though. If I see it next Tuesday, I can see it at half price. Yet, I can do this anytime, because I am a Pensioner and have a card for that and it doesn't stack with Half-Price-Tuesdays. So that is much of a muchness.
Been trying organise local friends to do this together. but they mostly do stuff with their own families now. One of unmarried ones told they haven't even bothered to see the Prequel-Trilogy and won't be seeing any of the new ones.
Whoah, somebody dropped a huge spoiler there.....even though they did it in tags, I still read this without thinking and now that huge one to drop. I might complain, but have done this plenty of times myself. So, I now feel un-validated and spoiled.
I like Star Wars, but I don't have as much vested in it as others, so going on most reaction I have heard and read I should enjoy it.
I am going with two of my brothers and a combo of our kids tomorrow evening to see it, it should be fun!
It was Star Wars!
I enamored the references to the original trilogy. I lived Chewie's punchlines, he delivered those almost as well as Sweep on live Sooty and Sweep shows I saw when my daughter was little.
I really, really enjoyed it.
More thoughts on my blog. Spoiler light cos some things can be guessed from my comments but no plot spoilers.
http://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/2015/12/18/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens-my-experience-spoiler-light-almost-spoiler-free/
Loved it. Yeah it's a bit bonkers, yeah it draws heavily on the past (it is a sequel after all ;) )but I don't think it harms it at all. Look forward to the next one immensely.
I was lucky enough to see The Force Awakens with a big group in my favourite cinema here in Portland. Sold out, opening night, dozens of people in costume, a costume contest with kids and adults alike up on stage, some having impromptu lightsaber fights. Star Wars themed cocktail menu. Pure love being radiated from audience to screen. I lost count of the times the film got rapturous applause and cheering. Ordinarily the more pandering, fan-service elements would have really irked me, but in this context, it worked. I couldn't help but cheer along. This was the absolute best way to see this film, really really memorable, and it helped me to just absorb and enjoy the film, and ignore certain glaring problems with the plot.
Ultimately, its good, not great. A film with a lot of endearing - even lovable - qualities, but one that is flawed and distinctly rough around the edges. I don't know how much I'll revisit it, but this was a great experience nonetheless.
Spoilery detailed thoughts tomorrow.
I loved Rey's theme.
Saw it last night. I used to be quite a big Star Wars fan and still have a lot of affection for it, and have many boxes of that in the attic. That love wained with the prequels so my investment in Ep VII wasn't what it might have been, so I was approaching it with, I won't say low expectations, but will say a level head. I was concerned that two or so hours of it might be too much.
I loved it. Found it fun from start to finish, loved Rey and Finn especially, and gawped appreciatively at the tech and dogfights. I don't know if it was a good film or just a good Star Wars film, but it was as I've said great entertainment - as it should be for stuff like this. I might even go and see it again!
I liked it [spoiler]more when it was called Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
Unfortunately, I still can't think of a single thing in the film which wasn't a mashup of elements from the first three films: Dark side Skywalker who wears a black mask, mysterious deformed master who appears by videolink, young Jedi discovering their powers, rebel information contained in droid, family crisis on bridge, Death Star weapon with vulnerable spot, rebel briefing, diminutive mentor, sleazy alien bar, inherited weapon, planets destroyed to send message, showdown hallucination, remote Jedi master... the most original elements were the reformed stormtrooper, which they have yet to elaborate on, and the villain being seen to be suffering pain, which felt more effective than Anakin's transformation.
The plot piled coincidence on coincidence... and exactly why do the Skywalkers keep having kids?
Star Wars was a blind spot in my childhood so I don't have the giddy feeling when I see the old toys come to life, and I'm not particularly into martial arts and combat scenes. Everything in the film looked great and tactile. I'm just disappointed that Abrams decided to carry on exactly where we left off rather than start with a new seed and a new foe... I mean, was there not a victory at the end of episode 6? It looks like everyone pretty much just carried on as they always had. I have to say, it made me appreciate George Lucas' vision with the prequels, even if he was punching above his weight in the directing and writing; I would have preferred to have seen those films made with these production values.
Lucas told Abrams he makes the best films he can rather than the films the fans want. I'm with him on that.[/spoiler]
Enjoyable enough, but hard to describe without spoilers.
I guess it was like putting on a pair of comfortable slippers, only to find them a bit worn, full of holes, and smelling slightly of regurgitated cheese.
QuoteSaw it last night. I used to be quite a big Star Wars fan and still have a lot of affection for it, and have many boxes of that in the attic. That love wained with the prequels so my investment in Ep VII wasn't what it might have been, so I was approaching it with, I won't say low expectations, but will say a level head. I was concerned that two or so hours of it might be too much.
The above post sums up where I was before seeing it although (replace wained with shriveled up and died. I HATED the prequels) I was secretly hopeful.
I loved it to and [spoiler]even teared up twice[/spoiler]
my standout character was Kylo Ren. [spoiler]Everybody was worried that he would just be a pale Darth Vader and so they had the character worry about that, too (and thus the actor). tremendous performance.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]The lightsabre fights were brutal and thrilling. no dancing around like dancers just two people trying to fuck each other up!!![/spoiler]
Heh! I was being generous - it was more like I took my SW fandom out the back and shot it in the head, then dismembered it before burning the remains and pissing on the fire. So liking TFA is a big move!
And yes, the saber battles were great,[spoiler]especially Rey and Kylo, though I was urging her to force choke the piss out of him![/spoiler]
Hammy as a sandwich but I bloody loved it.
Yeah, Kylo was the movie's big surprise for me - [spoiler]stonking villain, whose inadequacies only made him more terrifying, and really everything Anakin should have been in Episode III. I love it when you just wish someone, anyone, would kill the bastard - [/spoiler]that's the mark of a good baddie.
So, who else thought we'd have had a much better film if they'd cut the [spoiler]Death Star/Starkiller[/spoiler] plot entirely? Most of the film's problems seemed to all come back to its inclusion. It felt totally extraneous to me, it wasn't built up or established very well at all, didn't really have the dramatic weight it needed, and even the characters in the film seemed to be rolling their eyes and just going through the motions.
To my mind, this film really shone when the scale was kept small. I pretty much loved the first hour without reservation, getting to know Finn and Rey and getting reacquainted with Han and Chewie, but when they started to expand the scale and bring in the Resistance and the First Order proper is for me when they started to lose control of the story. I would pinpoint [spoiler]the destruction of that random planet/Republic(?)[/spoiler] as the exact moment that the wheels really came off the plot for me. As TB says, there simply isn't enough context given to understand these different factions, their relative scales etc in the same way we can innately understand the relationship between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance in the original trilogy. It raises far too many questions that are never answered.
An ending that just had Finn, Han and Chewie [spoiler]breaking in to, for example, Kylo Ren's personal base or Star Destroyer to rescue Rey and recover the map* while Poe led a diversionary attack[/spoiler] would have made for an infinitely better ending imo, but I guess we need to have a [spoiler]bigger Death Star so we can have an even bigger ending with more empty spectacle[/spoiler].
If they'd have cut it entirely, the film wouldn't have felt quite so dizzyingly fast and overstuffed, and we could have had a bit more development of the leads, who despite being likable, are arguably a touch bland. Yes, they're good guys, but it's really only Finn who has any idiosyncrasies or flaws. Poe and Rey are a little Mary Sue-ish. I really hope we get to know them a bit better in the next film.
Overall, the script felt three or four drafts away from being properly finished, and occasionally the film had a weird choppy feel to it, like you could really easily tell that certain things had been cut, or moved around in the plot. It felt rushed, often muddled, and it also felt repetitive, not just of other Star Wars films, but repetitive even of itself. For example the plot beats of 'go here, First Order show up, escape/get captured/escape again, go somewhere else, First Order show up....'.
*[spoiler]The map concept has to be an Abrams invention, surely? I remember hearing somewhere that the Macguffin would simply be Luke's lightsaber, and this is what everyone was after, and what was hidden in BB-8. The map is such a monumentally clumsy plot contrivance (in a film stuffed full of them). Who made it? Why? And why, in a truly maddening moment of narrative idiocy, does R2 suddenly have it at the end of the film for no reason whatsoever?[/spoiler]
Another example - [spoiler]Rey finding the Falcon.[/spoiler] I thought this was a bit of a stretch, but trusted the film to come back and explain this incredible coincidence later [spoiler](ie, that Rey was the daughter of Han and Leia, which I am almost certain she was in a previous draft of the script)[/spoiler], but no, it's never explained.
[spoiler]It's also more than a little aggravating that so many of the most iconic, tantalising moments from the trailer are either dream sequences or do not appear in the final film at all.[/spoiler]
I know all that makes it sound like I didn't like the film (and all my friends think I'm an idiot for pointing these things out because 'it has lightsabers and spaceships - it doesn't have to make sense') but as I say there were so many wonderful moments it won me over. It's just the connective tissue holding them all together is really dodgy at times. The humour throughout was really welcome too. It rode the line between being funny and too big and broad, but stayed just the right side of it imo.
Kylo Ren, though. Great villain. Best character in a film of great characters. As someone else said, [spoiler]he could have easily been a weak copy of Vader, but they somehow managed to turn this quality into a virtue. As others have noted, he packs more pain, rage, torment and pathos into his 15-20 minutes of screentime than Lucas managed with Anakin in six hours. Big thumbs up, and I'm thrilled he'll (apparently?) be returning for the next one.[/spoiler]
Finn is a very close second - Moses did good, and even his American accent sounded good to my ears. [spoiler]Because of a certain shot in the trailer I was convinced he was going to die at the end, and my heart was genuinely pounding because I desperately wanted him to make it,[/spoiler] so to get that reaction out of me the film must have been doing a lot right.
So all in all, a real mixed bag. So much good and so much bad that I'm finding it hard to form a concrete opinion on it.
Went to see it last night loved it.[spoiler]until it broke my bloody heart.its just a flesh wound right.i hate you JJ you murdering bastard.[/spoiler]
Sorry, Kylo Ren was [spoiler] a Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen lookalike crossed with an Emo kid with anger issues. I thought the performance was dull and uninteresting, and the character didn't grip me at all. [/spoiler]
Spot on there Radiator - the Starkiller was a complete waste of time as a subplot, and it made pretty much no sense in action. [spoiler]Apparently Maz's castle is in the Hosnian system too, along with the entire 'New Republic' (whatever that is, or was), since you could see the planet and its moons blowing up in its daytime sky - hell of a coincidence, that. Exactly like Vulcan and Scotty's ice-moon, when you think about it.
Abrams' efforts in this particular regard equal Lucas' in RotS - the key questions are all hand-waved to get us to the desired setup. 'What happened to Padme?' ' She just died'. 'How did Obi-Wan defeat Anakin?' ' He had the high ground'. 'How come there are stormtroopers everywhere again?' 'There just are'. ' What happened to that Republic the rebels were fighting to restore?' 'It blew up, round about the halfway mark'. This is the same kind of weak teleological storytelling that ruined the Prequels, and I wasn't happy to see it again. Hopefully Lucas can take some satisfaction in seeing the same technical pitfalls crop up again in the narrative, while the continuation of his Skywalker family saga remains the movie's strength.
Happily, the character work was way stronger than anything Lucas gave us in the last three - Han in particular was utterly convincing as a man whose life has imploded, reverting to the ways of his youth. The tragic pre-figuring in his insistence that he can talk his way out of anything was especially nicely done, and for all the overwrought scene setting of his end, I believed it completely. I had been dreading that moment for 2 years, but it worked and it was fine.[/spoiler]
Oh don't all start moaning about it. Fucking hell!
If I find something disappointing I'm going to say so. I've also covered what I liked, which was a lot, but equally there's a good deal that doesn't work for me at all. This may change on future viewings, but for now, well, it's a curate's egg.
Still a opinion based on not seeing the film yet!
Never liked the idea that Kylo Ren copies Vader's appearance, but add's a different spin or twist to it.
What if he wore the exact same armour, would that be bad?
Disrespectful?
Confusing?
Stupid?
Quote from: JamesC on 18 December, 2015, 07:02:39 PM
Oh don't all start moaning about it. Fucking hell!
I enjoyed it, and am taking the kids to see it tomorrow. It's definitely better than the prequels, and is often exciting and funny. It's just a bit... samey.
Good points all, TB.
I don't even want to hear that 'Star Wars movies all have weak plots', cause they bloody well don't. As far as I can recall, there's a bit of timeline fudge in Empire (where Luke's training seems to take about three days) and RotJ is arguably a bit disjointed, but other than that they are sound as a pound. Everything you need to know to understand the film is in the film. You're never once confused. Character motivations make sense. Giant coincidences and contrivances you have to swallow are kept to a minimum. When you pick them apart on a script and story level, they hold up very well indeed.
By comparison, there are gaping plot holes and some really weak storytelling in TFA, most of which are apparent on first viewing, and that's a real shame. All the more baffling because they are so blatant and easily fixable you'd think someone somewhere along the way would have pointed them out. All in all, it feels like a film that needed another six months to a year of production, but ultimately Disney need to make their investment back, and I get it.
It's exactly like Star Trek 2009. There's no denying the immense fun you had at the cinema, it's exciting and the characters are wonderfully cast and have great chemistry, but nagging doubts gradually unravel it the more you ponder them.
But the stuff they got right, they got right in a way that exceeded my highest expectations.
Well yeah. I'll be seeing it again over Christmas, at least once, and really I should probably be reserving judgement until then. It's definitely a Star Wars movie, and it's not the worst one. But it's also definitely the least original one.
Don't think I've mentioned what a good hero Oscar Isaacs makes. Instantly likeable guy, Poe - you can see what Leia sees in him.
Quote from: Zenith 666 on 18 December, 2015, 06:14:08 PM
Went to see it last night loved it.[spoiler]until it broke my bloody heart.its just a flesh wound right.i hate you JJ you murdering bastard.[/spoiler]
Actually, knowing full well what you're alluding to, this right here is the very reason I have absolutely zero interest in seeing the movie.
(Going to spoiler tag the rest of my post just so I can pontificate a bit more freely. No actual spoilers, but heavy hints - so if you cant stand temptation, don't click the black bars!)
Being lukewarm about this film from a ways out, I went ahead and checked the plot synopsis on Wikipedia out of curiosity. [spoiler] It pretty much confirmed something I'd feared might happen since the first teaser footage broke.
Let me be clear: I'm pleased that the movie is going down well with fans. I'm pleased that most of the people this is for seem to be enjoying it. But it feels like it's not for me anymore. I just can't get past this particular thing that happens in it. And knowing it's in thre, I just don't want to see the film.
I don't care how well it's done, or if that moment services the movie's plot well or not. It's an indicator that the movie and Star Wars in general has moved in a direction I don't care for. It's crossed a line for me. I know there's been stuff *like* this in the movies before, but... nah. These are beloved and iconic characters. So this time I feel it went too far.
[/spoiler]
HdE, I think that the thing you refer to was inevitable [spoiler]once the decision was made to include the original trio,simply because you have to destroy all they've achieved, and then get rid of them.[/spoiler], and it's been my main beef with the sequels project from the start. However, given that this is the route we've taken, it's done extraordinarily well - [spoiler]in many ways this is that character's movie from the moment he appears and the actor has seldom been better, far better than he was in Jedi. I still wish the sequels had avoided the old cast completely,except for the droids and Luke's force ghost, but seeing as they didn't, it couldn't have been handled much better than this.[/spoiler]
Tordels, - that's a really excellent and eloquent response to my post. I halfway expect a response when I air my viewpoint of 'suck it up and deal with it', so the reasoned way you engaged with it is appreciated!
Quote from: Tordelback on 18 December, 2015, 08:17:01 PM
HdE, I think that the thing you refer to was inevitable [spoiler]once the decision was made to include the original trio,simply because you have to destroy all they've achieved, and then get rid of them.[/spoiler],
I'm going to spoiler tag my response again for similar reasons to last time and then walk away from this thread for a bit - I don't want to derail it or pre-empt discussion of spoilery details when some folks are still days / weeks away from seeing the film, after all. BUT...
[spoiler]What I'd say back to your remarks is that I agree part way on the point that 'you have to destroy everything they achieved'. But I disgaree very strongly with the idea that then you have to 'get rid of them'. Nowhere in the Big Book Of How To Do Fiction More Gooder is it written that this is necessary.
Here's my thinking: Doing both doesn't actually equate to story progression, in my opinion. It just clears the board to start over from fresh. And if that's the aim of the movie, then it doesn't need the previous cast at all.
I personally think it's much more intersting if you say 'Okay - here's where we were, and something has gone awry. But there are certain legacies left over from what came before, and they inform what happens next.'
The decision to feature or not feature characters we already know, from that point, is kind of moot. They can add something to the ongoing story, definitely. And I think it's a potentially intriguing idea to mix the old guard in with the new.
But you have to touch on the older material respectfully. And I think it's a bad idea to impact too much on things that fans enjoy and have enjoyed for decades. In the case of what I'm talking about here... it may indeed work very well, as I said. It's just that, as someone who used to be a big fan (but cooled off considerably in later life) and who still loves the character in question - this is the important part -
I personally don't want to see that.And that's about as simple as the issue gets for me.
Just one of my buttons, I guess.
[/spoiler]
QuoteHowever, given that this is the route we've taken, it's done extraordinarily well
Yeah, [spoiler]it's done.... tastefully.[/spoiler]
And it's worth remembering that it's something [spoiler]the actor in question has actively been lobbying for since IIRC Empire Strikes Back (and definitely in RotJ). So in that respect it feels like the character finally coming full circle. It's absolutely fine.[/spoiler]
Frankly, it's also the best work he has done in about 25 years.
I had many issues with the movie, but this wasn't one of them. It's kind of a great moment. And fitting.
Didn't surprise me in the slightest [[spoiler]]and is a fine send off for Han Solo.[[/spoiler][spoiler]]
DELETE THAT LAST POST AGAGAGAGAGAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHH NNNNOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 18 December, 2015, 08:41:45 PM
Didn't surprise me in the slightest [spoiler]and is a fine send off for Han Solo.[/spoiler]
There's also some quite breathtakingly bald-faced exposition-dump dialogue in this film, with characters literally recapping what they've been doing the last few years to each others faces in a way that no one ever does in real life.
Character a: "As you know, this happened to us, so you did this. And ever since then, I've been doing this.".
Character b: "Yes, I know, and as you know, because you did that, I did this."
It's pretty bad, especially as some of the other character work is fairly subtle.
Having not seen the film yet, I've tried to adjust the broken post blind (seriously), and so if it's not right, let me know via PM, or flag the mods again.
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 18 December, 2015, 09:33:45 PM
Having not seen the film yet, I've tried to adjust the broken post blind (seriously), ...
Your eyes can deceive you. Don't trust them. Stretch out with your feelings! You see? You can do it.
I am so, so sorry guys! I truly am, here, have a million like's (using our none existant like system) as way of apology. :-X
[spoiler]NOw that cats well n truly out of the bag. You think thee might have held off doing that until the third film.
I think he's that much of big deal or maybe they going us the next two films to kill off Luke and Leia.
One death for each film....
Still don't like that and remember reading about the expanded universe's Chewie being killed off saving the lives of Han's children and I think this was after the M. Falcon had been destroyed as well. [/spoiler]
Just going to make a comment back on radiator's point here:
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2015, 08:36:53 PM
Yeah, [spoiler]it's done.... tastefully.[/spoiler]
And it's worth remembering that it's something [spoiler]the actor in question has actively been lobbying for since IIRC Empire Strikes Back (and definitely in RotJ). So in that respect it feels like the character finally coming full circle. It's absolutely fine.[/spoiler]
And, invoking spoiler tags again to speak freely about this:
[spoiler] No disrespect intended here, Radiator - but I don't see how an actor's wanting to do a certain thing with a character equates to the character coming full circle. I don't see that it has any bearing on the narrative at all, really. An actor wants their character to snuff it? Thats nice. Now what about what the fans who enjoy that character want? To my way of thinking, that's what really counts.
Bottom line, the way I see it is that some characters should never bite it. And I'm royally sick and tired of the tactic of killing characters off to somehow manufacture excitement and tension. It's not my idea of good entertainment. And it characterizes Abrams' work at its worst, in my opinion - one reason why I was a bit disappointed to see Star Wars entrusted to him.
None of the above should invalidate your opinion or anyone else's though. I'm just explaining why, as much as this stuff may be okay for some viewers, it's really, really not okay for others.
[/spoiler]
And that's it! I'm outta the thread now like I said I would be.
Have fun at the cinema, peepholes!
I'm just going to say that [spoiler]the notion didn't only come from Ford, and was famously part of the original 'dark' script treatment for RotJ, which featured Han dying halfway through and Luke walking off into the sunset at the end.[/spoiler]
Those Force Awakens coincidences in full:
[spoiler]Just as the map is passed on to Poe the village is attacked by stormtroopers. Poe puts the map in the droid, which is found in the desert by Rey, the only Jedi we know of apart from the Jedi the map is to locate.
Poe escapes and crash-lands back on the planet's surface and immediately finds his droid, along with the Jedi. They escape another attack by finding the Falcon, the ship formerly owned by the brother-in-law of the Jedi to be located by the map.
The ship breaks down and is immediately picked up by the ship's previous owner and last Jedi's brother-in-law, and his co-pilot. Ren is told the time is right to kill Solo.
The bar where Rey, Solo and Finn go has Solo's brother-in-law's lightsabre which Fey finds and realises she might be a Jedi. It's on the planet with a clear view of all the planets the starkiller weapon is then used on for the first time, and is them fought over by The First Order and nearby rebels led by the rebel who helped Finn escape. Everyone goes back to the rebel base to meet Leia and the droids from years ago, one of which has the other half of the map.
Now it is operative, the time is right for the rebels destroy the starkiller. Solo infiltrates it and meets his son. Their sabotage leaves just enough time for Rey to win a fight and escape.
[/spoiler]
I say again: I would eat my hat if we don't find out sooner or later that in the original script, [spoiler]Rey was actually the daughter of Han/Leia and brother of Kylo Ren. This would go at least some way to explain some of those whopping coincidences we're supposed to swallow in the film as it is now. For example, Rey was sequestered on Jakku, Luke style, with Han watching over her in an Obi Wan style, to hide her from Kylo Ren and the First Order. That's why the Falcon is there. That's why Solo comes to find her so quickly.
As it stands, Rey's story as presented just doesn't add up. If it's that easy to escape, why bother staying on Jakku, ekeing out a miserable existence? There's a very flimsy reason of course - that she's 'waiting for her family to come back', but a pro-active, capable and self-determined woman like Rey would surely be off searching for her family rather than meekly waiting there.
[/spoiler]
Adrian, slight editorial slip with the first line in the second spoiler, [spoiler]should be Finn instead of Poe[/spoiler]. Yeah, that's a lot when you sum them up like that!
Agreeing with a lot of the review posts, [spoiler]Alright to watch, but so much regurgitating of the previous films, a few problems with pacing. The final dogfight didn't feel as tense as A New Hope or Return of the Jedi for me.[/spoiler]
Radiator just pipped me [spoiler]in a post about Rey there, how is she so handy with a lightsaber unless she had some training under Luke? [/spoiler]
Quote from: radiator on 18 December, 2015, 11:24:13 PM
I'm just going to say that [spoiler]the notion didn't only come from Ford, and was famously part of the original 'dark' script treatment for RotJ, which featured Han dying halfway through and Luke walking off into the sunset at the end.[/spoiler]
It's unclear whether any of that ever really existed as something written on paper but it was all in Gary Kurtz's head before he was fired from Empire.
How convenient it would've been if, as per Kurtz/Lucas' confabs, [spoiler]the Emperor had lived and been in Snoke's place? All this First Order stuff wouldn't need any explainin' - but that's all hindsight now so fuck it.[/spoiler]
In terms of Senor Snoke - [spoiler]was he actually that size or had he just built himself a massive hologram projector to make him look imposing? Will he be revealed as Yoda sized in the sequels?
[/spoiler]
Snoake [spoiler]I couldn't take seriously, it was like something out a comedy sketch show.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 19 December, 2015, 12:21:03 AM
Adrian, slight editorial slip with the first line in the second spoiler, [spoiler]should be Finn instead of Poe[/spoiler]. Yeah, that's a lot when you sum them up like that!
Even more with the correction, as it's [spoiler]not Poe who finds the droid, but someone who has had the droid briefly described to him![/spoiler]
[spoiler]Snoke was a huge letdown. From the way they were talking him up I was expecting something really freaky looking, really alien. He just looked like the pale orc from The Hobbit films. I honestly don't know why such a humanoid looking character needed to be mo-capped.[/spoiler]
I was going to suggest a full spoilers thread, but wasn't sure if people would get annoyed with multiple threads?
Plus, [spoiler] assuming he's not a giant, why did he have to be projected so big that they need an enormous cavern to speak to him?[/spoiler]
Adrian [spoiler]just replace Snoake and Ren with Mitchell and Webb ;)[/spoiler]
The stormtrooper Captain, Phasma is her name I think? [spoiler]Looked good in the trailer but about useful as a chocolate teapot?[/spoiler]
Quote from: Adrian Bamforth on 19 December, 2015, 12:36:39 AM
Plus, [spoiler] assuming he's not a giant, why did he have to be projected so big that they need an enormous cavern to speak to him?[/spoiler]
It was a trend started by the Emperor in Empire - looks cool so they embiggened it.
I was at Leicester Square today, and we were seriously considering catching the film. (£17 though? Wow.)
A 7pm showing only had seats left on the front row, and a later showing (at a different cinema) was a bit too late for my friend. She wasn't feeling that great either so we gave it a miss this time.
We did, however, see chaps dressed as stormtroopers and Alliance (or whatever the new rebels are called) pilots at the Odeon. Members of the general public had their picture taken. Not unlike what happened with a couple of other helmeted chaps in the same neighbourhood during the premier of a film concerning a future lawman.
It occurred to me that I go to church at a cinema (in this case The Vue in the O2 Arena) so I'm hoping to catch the film after the service.
[spoiler]I'm wondering if Kylo Wren turns out to be a clone grown from the severed hand of Luke Skywalker.[/spoiler]. If I turn out to be right, let me say I have not read that as a spoiler.
The sticky-out bits are obvious and been hashed/re-hashed here and elsewhere on the web but to be honest watching it on first viewing I didn't care too much about those things. The film's clearly finished in a way that you're not supposed to care too much about the stuff that's iffy as it's either treated as background noise or swept quickly under something funny or emotional/sentimental - call it distraction/bad pacing/time-wasting if you wish, it is what it is. This film is all about the feels. It probably won't work as well on repeat viewings but the great stuff I think will remain great - mainly the stand-out performances that are stronger here than in any other Star Wars episode.
[spoiler]I'm not dwelling too much on the holes or coincidences/conveniences which sometimes work and at times stick in your arse like a dodgy bed-spring but it seems intentional that the Death Star(killer) is so undeveloped and underplayed as an obvious throwback that it runs as a superfluous sub-plot against the greater drama, like it's a placeholder for something else. Its superficiality creates cognitive dissonance when spliced in parallel with the phenomenal drama and acting of the 'real' story. The endings of A New Hope and Empire work better than Jedi because there's less cutting between elements that are unevenly balanced in their worth.
We all ready know the 'Death Star' story - we don't need it again. If it was portrayed as just another weapon in the arsenal and had about as much importance to the story as a Star-Destroyer, it would be fine, but it's noted as a key plot-point/McGuffin and climax in every Star Wars film it's in. I'm not against another Death Star just like I'm not against TIE fighters and X-Wings but it might've been better served as an inverted storyline where either the Resistance own it or they capture it. Not have it tied-in as an explosive/dramatic climax.
We've seen how bad these 'rhyme' or mirroring things can be from the Prequels. Lucas wasn't much of a poet when it came to his rhymes - you can type them in a script but you can't film them - and it's a little unfortunate in the case of the Starkiller considering how cleverly executed many other OT throwbacks are weaved into TFA.
As one example: Kylo Ren - a masterstroke as inverse Vader. From the outset it seems either madness or bravery in the shape of brass-balls that they'd attempt to re-do Vader, nevertheless, it took decent writing and top-notch performances to sell it. If this character didn't work I think the whole story and its lineage/legacy theme would've crumbled. The layered details of Ren's low-rent wannabe Vader (which he still fails at) work towards creating a fully-formed, compelling character: the epic tantrums, the rawness of his garage-made lightsaber, the crappy sound of his voice-amplifier while full and loud breaks-up in higher frequencies distorting like an old transistor radio under-cutting his shapes. Everything about him feels desperate. If his unhinged confusion wasn't convincing Han Solo's death would've fallen flat. It's close to what Anakin should've been. This coupled with Rey's 'Force Awakening', while seemingly convenient but played very well, sold me on this whole lineage thing that thematically I never embraced as an idea - the EU didn't do it well because it's hard but they'vee done it phenomenally here.[/spoiler]
There's tons that can be parsed from what feels like 2-films-for-1 and now that so much has been laid on the table it can spread itself out in subsequent episodes. There are so many plusses amongst the facile impatient rush to please that I can't really complain. As a Star Wars film I like it - loved it more times than I didn't and sometimes more than the OT - and I'm thankful it didn't leave me with a feeling of total waste that the 3 Prequels did every time. I'll take a cluttered beauty over a congested bore any day.
And that last scene is d'bollix.
By last scene, do you mean the one that's lifted straight from a Rock video. I was expecting a certain character to turn around with an electric guitar in his hands.
I was thinking more Songs of Praise, Secombe's Highway or The Sound of Music.
Just got back from the movie, groovy stuff! I am pleased. Definitely a throwback in a very good way, playing around with all the classic SW stuff. And I dig the new characters too. Can't wait for Ep 8! Plus Rogue One should be fun next year, Donnie Yen kicking ass!
On the coincidences stuff listed above, I didn't mind that. But when watching I did think to myself, ah here we have some fun characters on a very unlikely space adventure, but still plausible enough for me to stay with it. All the coincidences are unlikely sure, but it works for me, and felt in line with the kind of pulpy adventure story vibe of the original.
Thumbs up!
You know, I was that far away from dressing up as the younger Han Solo at the local premiere for this [spoiler](Doesn't feel so cool now that he gets killed in this one!) and it was only a few moments earlier that I thought wouldn't be interesting (While disappointing at the same time!) if returns via some loop- hole of the Force (In one of the other two films!)
Considering Gandalf was killed off in the first Lord of the Rings film and back in the day when this was first shown. Only true Tolkien acolytes knew he'd come back as The White Wizard.
Then maybe Han Solo returns as a more HD version of him self shown in 3D up against all his flatter 2D co-characters. [/spoiler]
I know that was awful idea, but you never know. There was talk that the force was with him as well. It just explains his miraculous luck in the past.
Some spot-on thinkafyin' there Joe, and I'm really glad you enjoyed it. [spoiler]I agree, the very flimsy sameiness of the Starkiller subplot does feel deliberate, a dull backdrop that foregrounds the far better family drama. Unfortunately, for me at least, it's so weak that it actually distracts from the good stuff (of which there is much). As do those things that Adrian so masterfully lists - there's just no way of reconciling these coincidences within the story itself, beyond pointing to the title of the movie, and saying 'it was the will of the etc.'. In reality, a lot of the coincidences feel like leftover elements from too many script conferences, multiple mcguffins, discarded relationships - a result perhaps of lacking a central vision, beyond estanlishingvthe new cast and mechanically moving all the pieces into the places necessary for Star Wars 2.0.[/spoiler]
I thought Space Jesus himself [spoiler]was handled in the best way possible, and looked great - broken and haunted by his failures, and now the loss of his friend. No mysterious crazy-old-wizard schtick for him! You either had to give Luke a decent chunk of the action, or just keep his mouth shut (and there's an amusing balance in having such a prolific voice actor in a non-speakng part).[/spoiler]
What do we think about the rumour that [spoiler]Daniel Craig played 'worst stormtrooper ever' in the scene where Rey escapes from the interrogation room?[/spoiler]
Incidentally, there may be an issue here for me of knowing that there is no central vision - I could (often wrongly) accept mysteries and coincidences from George because I could convince myself that he was going somewhere with all this, working within a structure towards a goal (which he sadly missed). With JJ and Disney, I know that the saga is not moving towards a conclusion, it's been reorganised an open-ended exercise in recouping investment, and will be passed from team to team until marginal returns have declined beyond a specified point. Despite financial motivation being the driver behind a great many magnificent works of art, this perception definitely affects my viewing - and my immediate reaction that I was watching a pilot episode, not a movie.
More awful plot ideas from me....
I know it's a waste, but [spoiler]the ship should go down with it's best smuggler captain and Chewie should be buried or cremated along with him and then all come back later as force ghosts...just imagine ghostly a M. Falcon appearing out of nowhere to knock Counterfeit-Vader's (Assuming he hasn't yet been wasted as well!) spinning[/spoiler] until the next film.
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 December, 2015, 06:49:36 AM
it's been reorganised an open-ended exercise in recouping investment, and will be passed from team to team until marginal returns have declined beyond a specified point. Despite financial motivation being the driver behind a great many magnificent works of art, this perception definitely affects my viewing - and my immediate reaction that I was watching a pilot episode, not a movie.
At least one of the people on that team now is Lawrence Kasdan. And since Episode 8 was filming before this movie hit, I don't know if pilot episode is the right analogy. I think at the very least this trilogy will be cohesive, and will end in a satisfying way with some closure.
Of course, Disney could still bring it back for another trilogy in ten years set 50 later or something. And they sure have plenty of spin-offs they can do. But I don't doubt there being artistic integrity of some sort in this trilogy, with JJ as kind of the showrunner.
All I know is, I'm excited for the future of the series, and that's pretty nice.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 18 December, 2015, 06:16:06 PM
Sorry, Kylo Ren was [spoiler] a Lawrence Llewelyn-Bowen lookalike crossed with an Emo kid with anger issues. I thought the performance was dull and uninteresting, and the character didn't grip me at all. [/spoiler]
Ha ha ha! I had much the same thoughts, though liked him a lot. [spoiler] The fact he's nowhere near as intimidating without the mask worked for me - he's a confused kid who probably felt the weight of expectation of having such spiffy parents and a top flight Jedi uncle[/spoiler]
Quote from: PsychoGoatee on 19 December, 2015, 07:38:38 AMI think at the very least this trilogy will be cohesive, and will end in a satisfying way with some closure.
I do still doubt that, since the main thing that Exhibit A, this movie, lacked was a cohesive plot, and Disney will want to keep all that iconic IP intact for the future. All that can be achieved by our heroes is a temporary hiatus...
As regards it being a pilot, maybe the phrase I was looking for was 'extended trailer'. The actual trailers put many questions front and centre from the out: [spoiler]Who is Rey? Who are those cool looking dudes with Kylo? How did the Empire come back seemingly intact? How come Luke's old lightsabre is still around, and why is it so important (he had it for about three years, Anakin for about three years, its sole achievement was murdering Count Dooku... what's the big deal?): with the exception of Finn's story, which was kind of all in the trailer anyway, and Kylo's relatonship with Vader, at the end we still don't know
any of that. In addition we don't know who Max von Sydow was, or why he had a chunk of a map, or why R2 conveniently woke up when he did, or the political situation in the galaxy...[/spoiler] Essentially this movie is a teaser for more movies.
Quote from: PsychoGoatee on 19 December, 2015, 07:38:38 AM
All I know is, I'm excited for the future of the series, and that's pretty nice.
Well, I'm with you there. Aside from the excellent casting and performances, and the gripping family drama, this was really an exercise in essential housekeeping tasks - freed from the need to be both reboot and bridge, and Abrams' idiosyncracies, I'm intrigued to see what they can do. And at least I don't have that sick feeling in my stomach that I did after seeing RotS - the only SW film I only saw once in the cinema.
And they aren't coincidences. It's The Force making things happen to restore balance.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 19 December, 2015, 11:03:12 AM
And they aren't coincidences. It's The Force making things happen to restore balance.
And
Soylent-Green is people!
Here's another one.....
[spoiler]When ever what's her face grabs for the levers of the
M.Falcon the ghost of
Han-Solo will make a appearance and take full possession of the usurper.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 19 December, 2015, 11:03:12 AM
And they aren't coincidences. It's The Force making things happen to restore balance.
S'right. It's wide awake and controlling destiny all over the place.
Saw it last night and I feel much the way TB does overall. He makes some good points so I won't be repeating them.
[spoiler]While it all very familiar it was Star Wars. Although it felt to me the Abrams and Kasdan were trying to out Empire Empire with it's darkness and gravitas. Which ultimately didn't work.
The new cast is great, but Han and Chewie carried this film most of the way.
[/spoiler]
All in all it's a good start for nu-Star Wars, not a great one, but promising.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 19 December, 2015, 11:03:12 AM
And they aren't coincidences. It's The Force making things happen to restore balance.
You know the
Force is made from those surplus people in the background or the ones that don't belong in that particular scene it's been used in. Otherwise known as
Movie-Extras.
May the People be with You, so much better then those microbial-
Midicholorians.
I saw it last night, and really enjoyed it, fun action filled film with great effects, and the kids LOVED it. As I said I was never a huge fan of Star Wars so I was never going to be too disappointed.
Watched it again with the kids. It's a grower - I enjoyed it much more this time.
I think too many people are expecting Shakespeare, not an exciting space adventure. Yes there were similarities but upon reading the "art of" book that was something jj deliberately planned to hook non fans and give a nod to the originals. Kylo was originally "jedi killer" and an imposter pretending to be vader to mess with lukes head (think that was from the ardnt script?)
Also be glad not all the concept stuff made it in like the rey in an open x-wing cockpit slashing the bottom of a destroyer!!!
I loved it and despite my misgivings of snoke (who was designed to look pale like he'd been carved from marble and given a beautifully sinister appearance) will see it again at the pics and will devour the blu ray when it comes out.
Daniel craig was the stormtrooper rey tricked
Saw it again last night and with all the weight of expectations removed, ended up enjoying it immensely. It's got some issues, as voiced here and which I can agree with, but I'm with Joe - the stuff that works more than outweighs the stuff that doesn't. Good times. Great foundation to build on. More please.
Ugh. Asking that a film be coherent and make sense on a basic story level is NOT the same as expecting 'Shakespeare'. Plenty of films manage it just fine.
As always with opinions on entertainment, it's all personal taste. Personally I do think the movie is coherent and as mentioned earlier it still felt plausible to me even with the coincidences etc. I'm as hard to please as any of us fans on here, I just happen to really like the movie a lot.
Quote from: Grugz on 19 December, 2015, 04:23:42 PM
I think too many people are expecting Shakespeare
Speaking of.....
(http://www.couchcoop.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Shakespeare-SW-Trilogy.jpg)
Verily, a New Hope & the rest of double-trilogy in Shakespearean verse (http://www.amazon.com/William-Shakespeares-Star-Wars-Doescher/dp/1594746370)
(http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Menace_final_300dpi.jpg)(http://cdn3.volusion.com/gx25v.2qneg/v/vspfiles/photos/1594748071-2.jpg?1436522098) (http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/tulsaworld.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/5b/15b463b7-70fb-5c28-96d5-58d7b21cbc73/56001efdd46f4.image.jpg)
Seeing as there seems to be a ongoing theme about slavery, then I might assume that the Force is made up enslaved being, people, aliens and droids. You can't see them, because your supposed to see them and the special effects takes care of keeping that illusion alive.
So, Jedi not matter wether they are good or Sith are the ultimate slavers using these people that act under the will of George Lucas now J.J. Abrams and his crew of assistants and script writers, scene editors and to organise and direct them all and they aren't really needed, because it's all done with special effects.
That's just how I think it works.
That is the magic!
I'm now desperate to see it again. Curse you, Luca...errr, Abrams!
The more I reflect on things, the more I think I was a bit overwhelmed by and during the first viewing - particularly in the intercutting sequences, where my attention seemed to get stuck on one thread, at the expense of the other.
From reading others' commentaries, there seem to be whole sequences I zoned out and missed. One thing I seem to be confused about is Maz Kanata (great character, BTW*). [spoiler] A lot of her material from the trailers seems to have been cut... her handing the lightsabre to Leia from the second teaser obviously wasn't there, but also a lot of her portenious dialogue with Rey/Finn from the VO seemed absent. And what happened to her, did we see her escaping the stormtroopers?[/spoiler]
Can clearer heads confirm if I missed it somehow, or did her role change quite significantly during editing?
Oh, and [spoiler]what was the deal with those walkers/four legged spiders in the distance on the Starkiller planet just after Han & Co arrived? Did we see those again? [/spoiler]
*Maz was one of the biggest reliefs for me - I was convinced[spoiler] she was going to take off the goggles and headgear and be revealed as Yoda's species, just the Loyalist variety [/spoiler].
Quote from: ThryllSeekyrYou can't see them, because your supposed to see them and the special effects takes care of keeping that illusion alive.
Correction.....You can't see them, because your
not supposed to see them and the special effects takes care of keeping that illusion alive.
Did [spoiler]Phasma survive as well, come to think of it.[/spoiler]
QuoteOh don't all start moaning about it. Fucking hell!
What he said!
[spoiler]Did Phasma survive as well, come to think of it.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]I believe she has been announced as in episode 8.[/spoiler]
Quote from: auxlen on 19 December, 2015, 06:36:13 PM
[spoiler]Did Phasma survive as well, come to think of it.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]I believe she has been announced as in episode 8.[/spoiler]
Aye, but so has [spoiler]Ford.[/spoiler]
It's common practice these days to make deliberately inaccurate announcements in order to prevent spoilers.
IIRC, [spoiler]Aaron Taylor Johnson[/spoiler] was touted as having signed a three-picture deal with Marvel to keep his character's [spoiler]death in AoU[/spoiler] under wraps.
Similarly, I had heard that [spoiler]Adam Driver[/spoiler] was not signed up for Episode 8, so I assumed he would be [spoiler]Darth Mauled in TFA[/spoiler].[spoiler] It's weird when you're watching a climatic showdown between hero and villain, and hoping that they both survive.[/spoiler]
I've diligently avoided this thread (so apologise if I go over old ground here I'm reviewing before reading back) and other sources of potential spoilers since the first trailer. I've tried to manage expectations and go in fresh with an open mind. The almost (seemingly) positive reviews (I've seen no more than star ratings to avoid anything I didn't l know) sneaked into my noggin and so as I wondered in this evening after only deciding to go this morning I'd had my positivity tweaked up. Damnit
So yeah don't know if what I will say meets a chorus of agreement or gets me run out of town... So yeah don't know why I bothered to avoided spoilers either cos it was so bloody reverential to the original trilogy it was embarrassing. Even the bits that weren't 're-imagined' bigger and better were bloody telegraphed to the extent that it removed much of the emotional impact of the key moment of [spoiler]Han's death. By that stage I was more concerned about whether Chewie would be taken down with him!
[/spoiler]
This shouldn't have been made for me but it bloody well tried to do that and in wrapping itself in so much fan service it very much utterly missed its mark. This should have pleased but challenged me, his should have slyly acknowledged me but made me reflect that it was for a new generation. This should have been like seeing your first true love across the street and getting all giddy cos she smiled at you. Rather it was like seeing your first true love and having her (or him) try to snog you even though you are now happily married to someone else and well lets be honest time hasn't done them any favours.
This utterly lacked the courage of its convictions and by doing so did the old stuff a lot worse than it was done before.
I wish I could say that Han and Chewie ruled the film as clearly it was first and foremost a tribute to them and they almost did as both were played brilliantly BUT nothing, nothing was added to them. Well except that moment when Han and Leia met, that was quite wonderful, that was the smile across the street. By far the best thing was the two new leads loved them. Even there though it was at times fumbled. Example, 'New Hope' was about someone trying to escape to a bigger world so here someone thought 'We'll oh so clearly do a switcheroo on that one... for like an hour then flim flam that'. Anyway yeah I do have a new hope (fucking terrible pun intended in just the way this film did) this has got the desire to be the Bootleg Beatles out its system and lets the future films BUILD on what was magnificent in the past not retread it.
So yeah new character (well the leads) good.
I get that the original was about redemption and family BUT really did this need to try to use that so poorly by twisting it. Garrr this is turning into a rant so better stop...
... oh except the film lied to me. LOADs about the beginning suggested that it had buried the past. That shot of the speeder thingie driving past the Star Destroyer crashed and half covered should have been the opening shot and set the theme. There were other similar ideas, it wasn't Tatooine, that could have worked etc etc.
Oh right still a rant so I'll spare you all the specifics (so many and may return to them in the morning, be warned put me on ignore!) , and leave with this thought I've always been able to allow Star Wars movies their concidences and awkward plot moments. I've always been able to let them slip by, after all it was probably cos of the force. This stretched credibility beyond breaking point, it really did... it really bloody did...
I need to sleep don't I... Thank fuck I've been made a big Mad Max fan again this year!
Oh and no one told me Neil Gaiman CGI'd to look twenty years younger was the main baddie!
Quote from: auxlen on 19 December, 2015, 06:35:08 PM
QuoteOh don't all start moaning about it. Fucking hell!
What he said!
Here's some more moaning for you guys:
Why was Rey [spoiler]selected to locate Luke? They barely know who she is.[/spoiler]
Rey being [spoiler]an ace star pilot comes out of nowhere and makes no sense whatsoever, given that it is firmly established that she has never travelled far from Jakku. Eg: her reaction to arriving on a lush, non-desert planet.
[/spoiler]
Why such an emotional scene between [spoiler]Leia and Rey? Correct me if I'm wrong, but they didn't even have a single scene together before that, did they? And yes, I know they were pushing a surrogate father/daughter thing between her and Han, but they'd known each other for like what? An afternoon? You could say the same of Luke and Kenobi in the original movie, but that's not quite true, as it is established that Luke had known 'Old Ben' for many years prior to the events of the film.[/spoiler]
The fact that Finn [spoiler]lied about his level of knowledge regarding Starkiller Base was brushed off as a jokey thing, but if you think about it for a second, he essentially jeapordises the mission (and thus the fate of the Resistance and the galaxy) because he lied so he could rescue Rey? That's a total dick move and really weakens his character in my opinion. It's also another thing that portrays the characters in the film as not really seeming to take the Starkiller as gravely seriously as it warrants, contributing to an overall lack of peril and tension. Damn I wish that whole thing wasn't in the movie.[/spoiler]
And finally, they better have a damn good reason for why [spoiler]Luke was in exile. And before anyone says it, yes, I'm aware a reason is given in the film, but the way it's presented reduces Luke Skywalker to a coward who abandons the galaxy to The First Order's domination. As I say, they better have a damn good reason, but I suspect they haven't, because from doing a bit of research it appears that the reason he's in exile was changed when Abrams rewrote Michael Arndt's script.[/spoiler]
Honestly wish I could gloss over these things like the rest of you - and if it were just one or two things I could - but when it is dozens of plotholes, inconsistencies and contrivances piled up like this it makes it impossible for me to ignore. It's not nit-picking, it's fundamental story problems. I expect better writing than this.
Regarding Maz Canata(?): [spoiler]Apparently she was supposed to have a much bigger role (I think she was supposed to tag along with Han, Rey and Co on the Falcon even), but Abrams was allegedly unhappy with the actresses' performance and drastically cut her role down. Which would explain why she suddenly disappears from the film.[/spoiler]
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 19 December, 2015, 04:11:33 AM
By last scene, do you mean the one that's lifted straight from a Rock video. I was expecting a certain character to turn around with an electric guitar in his hands.
I wish I'd just said that rather than my longwinded, almost certainly nonsensical rant. You win the thread. GOLD!
Quote from: radiator on 19 December, 2015, 10:01:07 PM
ven), but Abrams was allegedly unhappy with the actresses' performance and drastically cut her role down. Which would explain why she suddenly disappears from the film.[/spoiler]
If that is the case, then why essentially build the trailers around her VO? Given that Lupita would have given her performance yonks ago so that the animation could be completed, it seems odd that so much of it made it to the trailers if Abrams wasn't happy (plus he's denied this, FWIW). I think you can detect a great deal of frantic cutting in this movie quite late on, presumably to speed things along or to tighten focus - the toy aisles are full of stuff that doesn't really appear, for example.
Apologies for that last post, spoiler tags went awry and I missed the edit window.
Quote from: radiator on 19 December, 2015, 10:01:07 PM
Quote from: auxlen on 19 December, 2015, 06:35:08 PM
QuoteOh don't all start moaning about it. Fucking hell!
What he said!
Here's some more moaning for you guys:
Why was Rey [spoiler]selected to locate Luke? They barely know who she is.[/spoiler]
Rey being [spoiler]an ace star pilot comes out of nowhere and makes no sense whatsoever, given that it is firmly established that she has never travelled far from Jakku. Eg: her reaction to arriving on a lush, non-desert planet.
[/spoiler]
Why such an emotional scene between [spoiler]Leia and Rey? Correct me if I'm wrong, but they didn't even have a single scene together before that, did they? And yes, I know they were pushing a surrogate father/daughter thing between her and Han, but they'd known each other for like what? An afternoon? You could say the same of Luke and Kenobi in the original movie, but that's not quite true, as it is established that Luke had known 'Old Ben' for many years prior to the events of the film.[/spoiler]
The fact that Finn [spoiler]lied about his level of knowledge regarding Starkiller Base was brushed off as a jokey thing, but if you think about it for a second, he essentially jeapordises the mission (and thus the fate of the Resistance and the galaxy) because he lied so he could rescue Rey? That's a total dick move and really weakens his character in my opinion. It's also another thing that portrays the characters in the film as not really seeming to take the Starkiller as gravely seriously as it warrants, contributing to an overall lack of peril and tension. Damn I wish that whole thing wasn't in the movie.[/spoiler]
And finally, they better have a damn good reason for why [spoiler]Luke was in exile. And before anyone says it, yes, I'm aware a reason is given in the film, but the way it's presented reduces Luke Skywalker to a coward who abandons the galaxy to The First Order's domination. As I say, they better have a damn good reason, but I suspect they haven't, because from doing a bit of research it appears that the reason he's in exile was changed when Abrams rewrote Michael Arndt's script.[/spoiler]
Honestly wish I could gloss over these things like the rest of you - and if it were just one or two things I could - but when it is dozens of plotholes, inconsistencies and contrivances piled up like this it makes it impossible for me to ignore. It's not nit-picking, it's fundamental story problems. I expect better writing than this.
Regarding Maz Canata(?): [spoiler]Apparently she was supposed to have a much bigger role (I think she was supposed to tag along with Han, Rey and Co on the Falcon even), but Abrams was allegedly unhappy with the actresses' performance and drastically cut her role down. Which would explain why she suddenly disappears from the film.[/spoiler]
Not going to disagree with much of this, Rad, but - and I'm just making assumptions here - [spoiler]I'm pretty confident Rey's backstory is going to be explained. My personal theory - she was one of Luke's surviving students and sent to Jakku as safety, her mind wiped via Jedi Force thingamabobs. Would explain why she has such innate powers. Would also explain Ren's fascination with the girl.[/spoiler]
Luke had never met Ben before their encounter in A New Hope though. He'd only heard about him from local stories.
Agree about the Starkiller thing but [spoiler]Finn lying to infiltrate the base strengthens his character, in my opinion. Of course it's rash and foolhardy, but it also shows the lengths he'll go to to rescue Rey. Seemed pretty heroic, (but yes, stupid) to me.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]As for Luke, I'm assuming he fled out of guilt and if he's been isolated living out there, surely he's unaware what's been going on in the rest of the galaxy...?[/spoiler]
I would say go see it again. I was pretty underwhelmed with it Thursday but went again last night with work and immensely enjoyed it. Once your expectations are out of the way, it's easier to look past the stuff that's not floating your boat. Yes, the same problems are in there but I found the good more than outweighed the bad. At the end of the day, it's not a five star movie, but I'd say it's a decent four. It gets more right than wrong and it's a good foundation now to build on top of.
Whereas I don't think we'll ever get a satisfactory backstory for Rey and put the weird question mark around her (which I believe is unintentional) down to plot holes created by Abrams rewriting the script.
[spoiler]She clearly remembers her previous life and family or she wouldn't be waiting for them to return. If she is somehow related to Skywalker or Solo, then what possible purpose does it serve to leave that revelation for a sequel?[/spoiler]
While I liked the actress, and the character had some great moments, Rey is really problematic for me. She's wishy-washy, underdeveloped and full of contradictions.
I'm wake, I've slept well and I'm still going to rant... so sit back relax and settle in (or more sensibly skip to the next post)
I have no problem (well I do but I'll come to that) with a lot of the longer term plot holes. Who exactly is Rey, Max Von Sydow, what's[spoiler] Luke's lightsabre[/spoiler] doing there, who exactly is bloody well related to who etc etc (and there's a LOT of etcs) as its clear that you are not going to see a film when you see this, its clear that you are seeing the first part of a series and therefore its a good thing (in that context) that there is mystery and intrigue built up. There should be questions (in that context) to be dangled in front of you, after all Empire did that so very, very well BUT, but should the first film of the series lack a sense of completion and being so unselfcontained (I'm stitching bits of words together there aren't I) as this. There were too damned many of them. It left this as a single film feeling pretty bloody insubstancial.
The worst bit of the film the whole new bigger new Death Star tired guff was the one thing that held this as a single piece of entertainment.Which is a massive shame as, as I say it was annoying guff.
Also this works in context and something that we see in a LOT of films these days but should we. Shouldn't a film be made to tell you a self contained story, that, no problem, draws you into something bigger? That's a larger debate and not fair to drag this one example into out of that context, but it bugs me. Empire, for all the things it dangled hung together as a much more satisfying single story.
Some of the other dangling things also had the problem of unhinging the internal logic of the franchise as a whole. So while I'm sure we'll get to understand stuff, or at least have an explanation given to us, one that may or may not be worth the wait. Specifically what the heck is going on with the force and who and how its manipulated. It was all over the place. Rey I'm confident will turnout to be Yoda's daughter or some such as being [spoiler]Luke's is too obvious surely[/spoiler] but Neil Gaiman's ... I mean Kylo's ability, even given we know he had some training, seemed a little ... developed to me. Its acknowledged he needs to complete his training at the end but I got no sense of that at times ... at others yes, it was inconsistent. Maybe that was meant to reflect his inter conflict?
Don't say I didn't warn you when it comes to the next movie and we learn that there are more Midiclorians out there or something.
Join me next rant as I pick apart one scene I'm probably misremembering that for me summaries many of the films problems.
Don't feel you're alone in your reaction, Colin. I think this movie could have been vastly improved just by [spoiler]tidying up Rey's origins a bit, a connection which would have tied her into the plot more. Given that the movie itself was clearly written - and sold- with this as a major point, leaving it out left a big hole. Didn't have to be the full story, just true 'from a certain point of view'.
What sums it up for me is how many of the exciting, intriguing bits from the trailers basically aren't in the film - Luke's hand on R2 and the Knights of Ren are just a few seconds from an enigmatic vision, Maz handing Leia Luke's sabre doesn't happen, Maz and Rey's dialogue about her identity doesn't appear, Luke's monologue about the Force being strong in his family (admittedly a sampling from RotJ) apparently relates to Kylo Ren, but there's nothing resembling this discussion in the film.
We were teased with puzzles that aren't ever addressed in the film, and the film itself continues to do that. It's not something I enjoy.
[/spoiler]
Perhaps the saving grace here is that Abrams' stint is over, and hopefully his obsession with creating mysteries without solutions in place of stories leaves with him, while his skill at creating characters and relationships will definitely pay off in future episodes.
Plot holes and contrivances aside, I still prefered it to those terrible prequels-so job done, I guess!
F*&k yeah, now that was a StarWars movie. Loved it and glad I'm not stupid for not knowing who [spoiler]Rey[/spoiler] is.
CU Radbacker
To add a few familiar voices to the discourse.
RED LETTER MEDIA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvsiJppCdmk)
I liked it for the most part. Most of the coincidences I found fairly forgivable. What follows are my main whinges:
Most irritating for me is the complete lack of context and scale (predictably enough for a numbers-obsessed geek like me, I suppose, but still). There's no equivalent of the Death Star conference room scene in ANH, which establishes who the Empire are, the importance of the Death Star, etc.
Instead we're left with no real idea of the relationship between the New Order, Resistance, and Republic. No idea what the importance of the system the Starkiller destroyed is, and the coincidence that really did bug me, why the hell are the heroes in the same system? Was it picked to destroy *because* they were there? Why not have a few lines of exposition saying so? There's also absolutely none of the resonance of Alderaan's destruction, which is integral to ANH's plot.
The scale then- for fuck's sake JJ it's called Star Wars, not Star Skirmishes. Why not show us the republic fleet? Did you really have to stick so slavishly to ANH that all we see of the Resistance is a couple dozen snub-fighters?
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 December, 2015, 02:21:27 PM
To add a few familiar voices to the discourse.
RED LETTER MEDIA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvsiJppCdmk)
Those guys are always great value.
Saw it at cinema this morning with subtitled version
it was interesting. I like opening, [spoiler]and even with flight TIE fighter but I do find final space battle bit lukewarm.
[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Han Solo went out so perfect, Ren was like a spoil brat. I like Rey as strong, even Finn. I am sure there some link with Rey and Luke, does Jedi Force powers cloud people's mind? [/spoiler]
I like some humour scenes, [spoiler]as two Stormtroopers just stop and walk away when Ren get angry. [/spoiler]
I been google trivas about it after watch it, nice to know that Stormtrooper [spoiler] which Rey got mind trick was Daniel Craig! [/spoiler]
[spoiler]I agree with Luke's fate as he was to make better Jedi but fail at it, so interesting to see next Episode which Rey very powerful. (I am sure she get training with Luke, maybe his daughter??)[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tordelback on 20 December, 2015, 03:44:22 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 December, 2015, 02:21:27 PM
To add a few familiar voices to the discourse.
RED LETTER MEDIA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvsiJppCdmk)
Those guys are always great value.
'Patiently awaits next Plinket review'
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 December, 2015, 11:58:56 PMI think you can detect a great deal of frantic cutting in this movie quite late on, presumably to speed things along or to tighten focus - the toy aisles are full of stuff that doesn't really appear, for example.
[spoiler]Apparently there was a plot leak on a jigsaw that appeared on amazon.jp a few months before the film's release and as far as I can tell, the plot leak has not appeared in TFA and may come up in Episodes 8 or 9?[/spoiler]
A few significant bits of info in terms of script devlopment between Arndt, Arbams & Kasdan - Abrams worked with Arndt for several months but they found that finishing a script was becoming problematic. Kasdan was brough in to help the process.
Michael Arndt was having difficulty finishing a script within the necessary time frame. "There was a ton of ideas and outlines, a lot of cards on the wall, a lot of writing on whiteboards," Abrams said, but no screenplay. With pre-production chores already well under way in London, where much of the film would be shot at Pinewood Studios, Abrams and Kasdan took over the screenwriting process, starting more or less from scratch. "We said, Blank page. Page one. What do we desperately want to see?" Abrams told me. Though Abrams said both men had pet ideas from the development process they wanted to incorporate, and did, Kasdan made the process sound like more of a teardown: "We didn't have anything," Kasdan said. "There were a thousand people waiting for answers on things, and you couldn't tell them anything except 'Yeah, that guy's in it.' That was about it. That was really all we knew."
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/05/star-wars-the-force-awakens-vanity-fair-cover
According to multiple insiders, the reason for the parting of ways was not due to a timeframe issue, as has been reported, but rather due to a difference of opinion of which characters to emphasize.
Arndt is said to have focused on the offspring of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), with the original trilogy heroes taking on supporting roles. Abrams, however, wanted Episode VII to focus on the classic trio of characters, so audiences could have one more chance to enjoy them before a fitting send-off. The new characters, the offspring, will now be in supporting roles, according to these sources, and take center stage in Episode VIII and IX. Some characters have disappeared from the Arndt script and new ones are being drafted.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rumors-who-is-669997
However far Abrams and Arndt had gotten it seems their initial story content was always heavily influenced by, and referential of, A New Hope and the Death Star. I think the central character story they ended up with - [spoiler]minus Luke in full-on Ben Kenobi role[/spoiler] - is far better, but their decision seems to have led to increasing the role of a super-weapon.
The rehashing of the Death Star trope had some interesting variations that may or may not have been better than what ended up in the film.
***********Some spoilers in this article***********
At a post-screening Q&A for the movie on Saturday, Abrams and co-writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt explained why they sidelined R2 – and why he finally had his own "awakening."If an iconic starship gets a scene-stealing moment, then certainly R2-D2 deserved one, too. But the writers grappled with a way to make his re-emergence special.
"I had originally written R2 and C-3PO showing up together, and Larry very intelligently said, 'You want to keep them separate from each other. And of course I'm like, 'No, no, no, Larry. You don't get it at all!'" Arndt joked, drawing laughs from the audience – as well as the screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sitting beside him.
Then Arndt says he got it: R2-D2's arrival had to be presented as a kind of delayed gratification, building up the audience's expectation before the droid rolls out and starts beep-blooping.
As the writers tried to find a logical place for that, they also grappled with the question of how to present Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker – who, as those who've seen The Force Awakens already know, was also held back as a climactic reveal in the final minutes of the movie.
"Early on I tried to write versions of the story where [Rey] is at home, her home is destroyed, and then she goes on the road and meets Luke. And then she goes and kicks the bad guy's ass," Arndt said. "It just never worked and I struggled with this. This was back in 2012."
The trouble was a simple case of upstaging. "It just felt like every time Luke came in and entered the movie, he just took it over," Arndt said. "Suddenly you didn't care about your main character anymore because, 'Oh f–k, Luke Skywalker's here. I want to see what he's going to do.'"
The good news for Abrams was, he got to make a Star Wars movie. The bad news was, his toybox wouldn't include a real-life Luke Skywalker action figure. Some of the early MacGuffins of the movie – the thing that drives a movie's plot – were a search for Darth Vader's remains, or a quest to the underwater wreckage of the second Death Star to recover a key piece of history about sacred Jedi sites in the galaxy.
Ultimately, the writers decided to make Luke himself the MacGuffin – the thing Rey, Han, Finn and Chewie are trying to find. And they figured that if a horrific past trauma forced Luke to retreat from the world, maybe the same could be said of R2. The droid's physical form is still present, but his personality is not – lost in the miasma of grief over what transpired in the past.
When they find R2 beneath that dust cloth, the heroes already have a piece of a holographic map, but they lack the larger section of this uncharted region of space that will allow them to track down Luke. That's where R2 became a useful storytelling device: he could be the missing framework.
The story group's thinking went back to the 1977 original movie, when R2-D2 accessed the Empire's mainframe as the heroes searched for the captured Princess Leia. "We had the idea about R2 plugging into the information base of the Death Star, and that's how he was able to get the full map and find where the Jedi temples are," Arndt said.
Abrams says he chose to spell this out indirectly in the movie because he didn't want the story to get bogged down in "how s–t happened 30 years ago."
"But the idea was that in that scene where R2 plugged in, he downloaded the archives of the Empire, which was referenced by Kylo Ren," Abrams said. Thirty-eight years later, in both our own and galactic time, that data becomes useful in The Force Awakens when a new droid approaches the dormant R2.
"BB-8 comes up and says something to him, which is basically, 'I've got this piece of a map, do you happen to have the rest?'" Abrams said. "The idea was, R2 who has been all over the galaxy, is still in his coma, but he hears this. And it triggers something that would ultimately wake him up."
The director acknowledges that R2's sudden "awakening" at the end was designed to be an emotional storytelling utility: "While it may seem, you know, completely lucky and an easy way out, at that point in the movie, when you've lost a person, desperately, and somebody you hopefully care about is unconscious, you want someone to return."
So for those let wondering: BB-8's earlier question rattles around inside R2's dome for a while. Those old astromechs must just take a while to boot up again.
Then as the movie draws to a close, our old friend finally comes back – and leads us to another one.
http://www.ew.com/article/2015/12/20/jj-abrams-answers-burning-question-about-r2-d2-star-wars-force-awakens
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 December, 2015, 11:20:08 PM
A few significant bits of info in terms of script devlopment between Arndt, Arbams & Kasdan - Abrams worked with Arndt for several months but they found that finishing a script was becoming problematic. Kasdan was brough in to help the process.
Michael Arndt was having difficulty finishing a script within the necessary time frame. "There was a ton of ideas and outlines, a lot of cards on the wall, a lot of writing on whiteboards," Abrams said, but no screenplay. With pre-production chores already well under way in London, where much of the film would be shot at Pinewood Studios, Abrams and Kasdan took over the screenwriting process, starting more or less from scratch. "We said, Blank page. Page one. What do we desperately want to see?" Abrams told me. Though Abrams said both men had pet ideas from the development process they wanted to incorporate, and did, Kasdan made the process sound like more of a teardown: "We didn't have anything," Kasdan said. "There were a thousand people waiting for answers on things, and you couldn't tell them anything except 'Yeah, that guy's in it.' That was about it. That was really all we knew."
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/05/star-wars-the-force-awakens-vanity-fair-cover
According to multiple insiders, the reason for the parting of ways was not due to a timeframe issue, as has been reported, but rather due to a difference of opinion of which characters to emphasize.
Arndt is said to have focused on the offspring of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), with the original trilogy heroes taking on supporting roles. Abrams, however, wanted Episode VII to focus on the classic trio of characters, so audiences could have one more chance to enjoy them before a fitting send-off. The new characters, the offspring, will now be in supporting roles, according to these sources, and take center stage in Episode VIII and IX. Some characters have disappeared from the Arndt script and new ones are being drafted.
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-rumors-who-is-669997
However far Abrams and Arndt had gotten it seems their initial story content was always heavily influenced by, and referential of, A New Hope and the Death Star. I think the central character story they ended up with - [spoiler]minus Luke in full-on Ben Kenobi role[/spoiler] - is far better, but their decision seems to have led to increasing the role of a super-weapon.
The rehashing of the Death Star trope had some interesting variations that may or may not have been better than what ended up in the film.
***********Some spoilers in this article***********
At a post-screening Q&A for the movie on Saturday, Abrams and co-writers Lawrence Kasdan and Michael Arndt explained why they sidelined R2 – and why he finally had his own "awakening."If an iconic starship gets a scene-stealing moment, then certainly R2-D2 deserved one, too. But the writers grappled with a way to make his re-emergence special.
"I had originally written R2 and C-3PO showing up together, and Larry very intelligently said, 'You want to keep them separate from each other. And of course I'm like, 'No, no, no, Larry. You don't get it at all!'" Arndt joked, drawing laughs from the audience – as well as the screenwriter of The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi sitting beside him.
Then Arndt says he got it: R2-D2's arrival had to be presented as a kind of delayed gratification, building up the audience's expectation before the droid rolls out and starts beep-blooping.
As the writers tried to find a logical place for that, they also grappled with the question of how to present Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker – who, as those who've seen The Force Awakens already know, was also held back as a climactic reveal in the final minutes of the movie.
"Early on I tried to write versions of the story where [Rey] is at home, her home is destroyed, and then she goes on the road and meets Luke. And then she goes and kicks the bad guy's ass," Arndt said. "It just never worked and I struggled with this. This was back in 2012."
The trouble was a simple case of upstaging. "It just felt like every time Luke came in and entered the movie, he just took it over," Arndt said. "Suddenly you didn't care about your main character anymore because, 'Oh f–k, Luke Skywalker's here. I want to see what he's going to do.'"
The good news for Abrams was, he got to make a Star Wars movie. The bad news was, his toybox wouldn't include a real-life Luke Skywalker action figure. Some of the early MacGuffins of the movie – the thing that drives a movie's plot – were a search for Darth Vader's remains, or a quest to the underwater wreckage of the second Death Star to recover a key piece of history about sacred Jedi sites in the galaxy.
Ultimately, the writers decided to make Luke himself the MacGuffin – the thing Rey, Han, Finn and Chewie are trying to find. And they figured that if a horrific past trauma forced Luke to retreat from the world, maybe the same could be said of R2. The droid's physical form is still present, but his personality is not – lost in the miasma of grief over what transpired in the past.
When they find R2 beneath that dust cloth, the heroes already have a piece of a holographic map, but they lack the larger section of this uncharted region of space that will allow them to track down Luke. That's where R2 became a useful storytelling device: he could be the missing framework.
The story group's thinking went back to the 1977 original movie, when R2-D2 accessed the Empire's mainframe as the heroes searched for the captured Princess Leia. "We had the idea about R2 plugging into the information base of the Death Star, and that's how he was able to get the full map and find where the Jedi temples are," Arndt said.
Abrams says he chose to spell this out indirectly in the movie because he didn't want the story to get bogged down in "how s–t happened 30 years ago."
"But the idea was that in that scene where R2 plugged in, he downloaded the archives of the Empire, which was referenced by Kylo Ren," Abrams said. Thirty-eight years later, in both our own and galactic time, that data becomes useful in The Force Awakens when a new droid approaches the dormant R2.
"BB-8 comes up and says something to him, which is basically, 'I've got this piece of a map, do you happen to have the rest?'" Abrams said. "The idea was, R2 who has been all over the galaxy, is still in his coma, but he hears this. And it triggers something that would ultimately wake him up."
The director acknowledges that R2's sudden "awakening" at the end was designed to be an emotional storytelling utility: "While it may seem, you know, completely lucky and an easy way out, at that point in the movie, when you've lost a person, desperately, and somebody you hopefully care about is unconscious, you want someone to return."
So for those let wondering: BB-8's earlier question rattles around inside R2's dome for a while. Those old astromechs must just take a while to boot up again.
Then as the movie draws to a close, our old friend finally comes back – and leads us to another one.
http://www.ew.com/article/2015/12/20/jj-abrams-answers-burning-question-about-r2-d2-star-wars-force-awakens
More please, Joe. I'm pretty interested seeing whatever possible iterations they went through before settling on their script.
I get the distinct impression that there's some over-analysing going on here.
I like Star Wars as much as the next man - not enough to dress up.
But I didn't build an entire story in my head from images and voiceovers in the trailer. I didn't even know the names of teh characters before going into this movie.
But I think a lot of you have done so much research beforehand that you couldn't just watch it and enjoy it as a movie (without comparing it against the one you already had in your head).
Now, that's good, if you like doing that sort of thing. But you can't review the movie you saw vs. the one in your head.
(This isn't meant to sound snippy by the way, just a friendly observation. But I know how the written word can be misinterpreted without all of the body language that backs it up. Imagine the above as if we are sitting in the pub having a laugh, Dave has just told that epic story about "the trip to Amsterdam with the three prostitutes, the dwarf with the pool cue and the vibrating replica dog foot" and I have just returned from the bar with four pints and am worried about the look of disappointment on your faces).
No question that what you say is true Tips, but as we've discussed before this wouldn't take half a billion in its opening weekend if it was called Space Adventure VII: its success as a film ( and much of its emotional heft) partly depends on it being the continuation of a story and world we've loved for nearly 40 years, something Disney must have seen when they filled that supertanker with money and sailed it upriver to Marin County. Seeing how that aspect bears up is just as valid as being wowed by the banter, bonhomie and 'splosions, although obviously not essential.
There's also the issue of being taken out of an entertainment by one too many unexplained coincidences - although I'd rather not have known that R2's role w[spoiler]as down to an accidental download of the premium edition of Google Galaxy, instead of some deep scheme of Luke's and/or the Force - makes it all seem very thrown together at the last minute.[/spoiler]
As regards reviewing the movie in my head: hey, at least my one makes sense (to me).
The one in my head still has Poe's shower scene in it.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 December, 2015, 09:30:33 AM
The one in my head still has Poe's shower scene in it.
He's one fine lookin' nerf-herder alright. Clooney levels of screen-charisma.
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 20 December, 2015, 10:09:44 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 19 December, 2015, 11:58:56 PMI think you can detect a great deal of frantic cutting in this movie quite late on, presumably to speed things along or to tighten focus - the toy aisles are full of stuff that doesn't really appear, for example.
[spoiler]Apparently there was a plot leak on a jigsaw that appeared on amazon.jp a few months before the film's release and as far as I can tell, the plot leak has not appeared in TFA and may come up in Episodes 8 or 9?[/spoiler]
A fake apparently - someone put up fake listing on Amazon, but the product itself says nothing of the sort.
Saw the film yesterday. IT WAS VERY GOOD!
Life's too short to get wound up about plot holes and coincidences, I just prefer to let it wash over me, but I was never bored or irritated like I was in the prequels.
Okay my biggest goat about this film, [spoiler]as with Starkiller base, after two Death Stars blown up by some pilots. And this base got flaw rector power plant which again blown up by a pilot. Oh come on! [/spoiler]
Absolutely loved it. Used to be an enormous SW fan but it's many years since I've felt a tingle in my schwartz for it, to the point that I didn't even bother watching any of the trailers, didn't look at any previews and had no intention of going out to see it for a couple of months once it had quietened down a bit, we ended up sort of going on a whim because a friend wanted to. Maybe that worked in its favor, because from the minute it got going I was totally lost in it and the SW fan of old woke up with quite a ferocity. The way it grabbed and moved me really took me by surprise because I didn't think that part of my inner child was still in there!
I didn't for example, expect to [spoiler]cry. I've spoilered that in case it's taken to allude to a big moment or shock in the film, but in actual fact it was during a quiet moment between Han and Leia when they're first on-screen together. I really had no idea how much part of me wanted to see those characters up there again, or how special that would feel.[/spoiler]
I do agree with some people that having the movie [spoiler]climax with a bombing run on a death star was sticking a bit too slavishly to the New Hope template[/spoiler] but that was only something that occurred to me shortly afterwards, at the time I was too busy enjoying the action. There did seem to be a list of beats they'd decided to hit to trigger the nostalgia.
Also the whole thing about [spoiler]Rey being Kylo's sister - that was my reading for most of the movie and was really confused that it didn't turn out to be a reveal. It seems like everything is set up for that to be the case - her having the force, the moments between them, her moment with Leia after Han's death - I just sort of took it as read that she was Han and Leia's other kid. I still think it might turn out to be the case. It would make sense for them to both have been abandoned as children, which would explain Kylo's serious father/son issues, and in her vision when she's abandoned as a child I thought she was actually holding the hand of the adult Kylo, which might have been my eyes playing tricks, but I took that to represent that the two of them were abandoned together.[/spoiler]
Anyway, awesome, will go again.
Quote from: Goaty on 21 December, 2015, 09:50:30 AM
Okay my biggest goat about this film, [spoiler]as with Starkiller base, after two Death Stars blown up by some pilots. And this base got flaw rector power plant which again blown up by a pilot. Oh come on! [/spoiler]
Being charitable, it's a little more complex than that - [spoiler]Poe'n'Co aren't getting anywhere with their attack until Chewie blows it up from the inside. Plus Han has to pull off a crazy manouver to get through the shields, as well as persuading Phasma to deactivate them and the thermal regulator is only a vulnerable point when the weapon is filled-up with... well, whatever that stuff is that's it's leeching off the sun. Plus the Starkiller has already destroyed the New Republic government, Snoke doesn't seem too miffed that it's fecked, and the First Order seem to evacuate a lot of their personnel... So maybe Starkiller isn't the the big deal to the FO that the Death Star was to the Empire.[/spoiler]
My own grosse boeuf with with the Starkiller weapon [spoiler] is that it so closely follows the Galaxy Gun from Dark Empire II, vaguely crossed with the Star Crusher from Jedi Search, both particularly low points in the Old EU. [/spoiler]
My own theory[spoiler] is that the Skywalker search is actually given its urgency by the Starkiller becoming operational. The moment Kylo gets the co-ordinates for Skellig Micheal the weapon can destroy it and Luke with it... Leaving Kylo as the last of the Skywalker bloodline, and heir to whatever prophecy or scheme we're following now.[/spoiler]
anyone worried about some plot holes,just buy the novellisation (out now on kindle ) it fills a few.
Also[spoiler]the first order seemed to have the death planet to destry the republic hq and fleet and draw the resistance out[/spoiler] I assume gollum snoke has a big bank balance and has had 30 odd years to plot since the galactic concordance which the new republic put in place to disarm the remmnants of the empire (which they ignored,went in to uncharted space and reformed into the first order) the republic demilitarised itself greatly as well despite general leia's misgivings (all this lot is in the visual guide btw which is a nice book) but I'm sure we'll get all the back story of the last 30 years in the expanded canon universe eventually.
As for death star 3 I can kind of understand it ,ok,the first one was flawed but they wouldn't have known the weakness without the plans,2nd one was half complete and was primarily used to tempt the rebellion out of hiding but palpatine was a bit to cocky about the plan leading to his demise.
so, a system destroying super weapon seem to be a logical choice(we ourselves have built bigger weapons than the last one) and as pointed out only with the falcon smashing through the shields and chewie did the resistance get any chance at destroying it.
I liked the fact that they didn't [spoiler]kill off any main baddies[/spoiler] and phasma has good potential I saw her shutting down the shields as self preservation rather than being a brainwashed drone who would have died rather than give the good guys a chance.
one small thing made me smile was alan dean foster's describing of the "imperial" troopers on jakku ,his editor didn't see that!
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 December, 2015, 11:26:08 AM[spoiler]Plus the Starkiller has already destroyed the New Republic government, [/spoiler]
Which nobody seems very bothered about, either personally or in the big scheme of things.
Ok I'll deal reluctantly with those First Order fucks blowing up Skellig Michael and maybe a lump of Munster, but if they get as far up as Tyrone, then they're gonna have real trouble!! Z
Saw it, loved it. End off :D
There are not two bricks placed one upon the other in Tyrone. There is nothing left to destroy.
Good we can have another go at Lord Mountjoy. Z
(http://orig09.deviantart.net/ba70/f/2015/352/9/5/grey_kylo_vader_net_by_dekarogue-d9kjwuy.jpg)
Why is it that Kylo's [spoiler]petulant tantrums and wannabe baddie-cosplay are scary as bejayzus, while Anakin's were cringeworthy? I'd run a spacemile from that patricidal freak, while I'd be more inclined to give Ani a hug and tell him things will get better if he stops taking himself so seriously.
I'm seeing a lot of nerdrage about untrained Rey beating Kylo, much of which is probably COS SHE'S JUST A GIRL, but more of which comes from not paying attention - Kylo has just been shot in the side by Chewiekov's bowcaster (which the film goes to great lengths to demonstrate is phenomenally powerful), and is bleeding heavily, plus he's taken a chance blow from Finn, and if you want to get fancy, he's just murdered his Dad. That he is on his feet at all is remarkable - look at Anakin and ObiWan in AotC, incapacitated by far less. Add to that Rey is clearly in full-on instrument-of-the-Force mode, and I think he does quite well. Kudos also to Abrams for setting up a duel in such a way that it can be any kind of contest.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 December, 2015, 02:20:10 PM
Why is it that Kylo's [spoiler]petulant tantrums and wannabe baddie-cosplay are scary as bejayzus, while Anakin's were cringeworthy? I'd run a spacemile from that patricidal freak, while I'd be more inclined to give Ani a hug and tell him things will get better if he stops taking himself so seriously.
Flat acting not helped by flat dialogue and staging - and he's never funny like when Kylo strops or self-flagellates after the fact. For anyone all ready familiar with how Anakin turns out, he's also inconsistent with the character of Vader who's calm, dominant and controlling, which is why Kylo works so well in contrast.
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 December, 2015, 02:20:10 PMI'm seeing a lot of nerdrage about [spoiler]untrained Rey beating Kylo, much of which is probably COS SHE'S JUST A GIRL, but more of which comes from not paying attention - Kylo has just been shot in the side by Chewiekov's bowcaster (which the film goes to great lengths to demonstrate is phenomenally powerful), and is bleeding heavily, plus he's taken a chance blow from Finn, and if you want to get fancy, he's just murdered his Dad.[/spoiler]
Whatever about the criticisms of Rey being too good at 'everything', I don't see much problem with the circumstances of [spoiler]her fight with Kylo - who's also not as great as he pretends to be. She's also shown beating 2 assailants with a staff at the start of the film.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]She's good with machines, ace pilot without any training, Vader's Sabre calls to her, get's the force skills in a heartbeat without ANY training......considering all the other similarities with previous episodes....I'd say it's a fair bet she's Luke's lass.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 21 December, 2015, 02:43:12 PM
[spoiler]She's good with machines, ace pilot without any training, Vader's Sabre calls to her, get's the force skills in a heartbeat without ANY training......considering all the other similarities with previous episodes....I'd say it's a fair bet she's Luke's lass.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]I have no problem with Rey being Luke's daughter. It makes sense. In fact, given the events of Star Wars and Empire strikes back, I'm a little surprised that Abrams didn't have Ken and Rey kiss instead of fight, them being cousins and all. It's only a little less unsavoury that the kissing between Luke and Leia.[/spoiler]
I better see this tomorrow, before I read too many other spoilers.
STOP READING THIS THREAD Thryllseeker!!!!
At London Underground...
(http://i.imgur.com/wvnfFQ0.jpg)
Seeing as the movie has me wanting to devour as much Star Wars as I can, is anyone keeping up with the 'new' expanded universe? Is it just the Marvel comics or are there novels and whatnot too? I know Disney basically nuked everything as non-canon a while back and started fresh with it, curious what there is out there to get.
Amusing stories going around of company Xmas parties that had to be segregated into 'seen' and 'not seen yet' tables. Was in a comic shop at lunch when the guy behind the counter broke off from a conversation with a customer and called: 'Has everyone here seen Force Awakens?', receiving universal assent before continuing his chat...
Was reading the Visual Guide today, and it explains that the location of the Senate [spoiler]of the reformed and demilitarised Republic now rotates among its member planets as a way of placating former Separatist worlds and addressing concerns about centralizing authority. Hence Hosnian Prime and not Coruscant was destroyed. And while it may not have true mo ie-level canonical status, it is bloody clever stuff.[/spoiler]
The Visual Guide also confirms the scale of cuts made in post-production... I have to admire Abrams & Co for making such efforts to keep their movie lean. There's a hell of a lot of good-looking stuff on a cutting room floor somewhere. Wampas v. Snowtroopers this ain't.
I wonder if that means an Extended Edition in the pipeline.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 December, 2015, 04:33:52 PM
I wonder if that means an Extended Edition in the pipeline.
Hope that's not a euphemism...
I am your Father Ted.
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/21/i-am-your-father-ted-fans-feel-the-force-of-star-wars-craggy-island-confusion (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/21/i-am-your-father-ted-fans-feel-the-force-of-star-wars-craggy-island-confusion)
You seen ctrl-alt-del today "The Return"?
www.cad-comic.com/cad/ (http://www.cad-comic.com/cad/)
"I can't believe there's so much green in the galaxy" or whatever it was doesn't seem *that* much better than the sand line...
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 21 December, 2015, 08:51:02 AM
I get the distinct impression that there's some over-analysing going on here...
...But I didn't build an entire story in my head from images and voiceovers in the trailer. I didn't even know the names of teh characters before going into this movie.
But I think a lot of you have done so much research beforehand that you couldn't just watch it and enjoy it as a movie (without comparing it against the one you already had in your head).
Now, that's good, if you like doing that sort of thing. But you can't review the movie you saw vs. the one in your head...
That's the thing though. I made a consious effort to avoid contact so I too could go in open minded (well emotional baggage aside I guess) and as such I'm surprised that its being so well recieved. My take would be almost the opposite to what Tiplodocus says, that people are ignoring the fact that its an objectively poor movie on a couple of levels because they want it to be good. The trouble is with my view is people who have a genuinely objective take (critics amongst them) seem to be digging it. Yet to me its a poorly constructed film. A lot of people seem to acknowledge its multiple problems yet still get over it and enjoy it for what it is... but alas what it is to me is a poorly written film however exciting. So what am I missing? I'm starting to doubt myself so much that I want to see it again to double check!
I also avoided the trailers and such, and am fairly critical of films that don't make a coherent story coalesce before me. In this instance however, It did. [spoiler] Despite the dumb planet gun, and the throwbacks,[/spoiler] it still managed to entertain hugely. [spoiler]When I saw the first order, I didn't ask 'where'd these fuckers come from??'' As I was quite happy to grant that the loss of the Emperor would not cause the entire Empire to fall. The next biggest bastard in charge would simply take over....and things would continue. When I hear that the bad guys aren't Sith, but Knights of Ren, I'm happy to just go with that for now, and wait for the explanation, which I expect will come along with the development of Snoke.[/spoiler]
I guess what it's always gonna come down to is, did the director do enough FOR YOU to satisfy your expectations/demands, and as I had none other than 'It better not be as shit as the prequels', this one did fine for me. It may not be aimed at kids as much as Lucas' where, but it's still basically a kids movie, so not every link needs forged. A wee leap of logic, or acceptance that 'a wizard did it' can go a long way. :D
[spoiler]With Snoke, why I do feelings vib of Wizard of OZ...? [/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 21 December, 2015, 10:17:26 PM
[spoiler]With Snoke, why I do feelings vib of Wizard of OZ...? [/spoiler]
[spoiler]Yep, once I realised he wasn't a giant, just a giant hologram, I figured he may be a wee yoda sized mo-fo puffing up! But there's also the interesting theory that he's Darth Maglius....Malgius....Magliner....oh fuck it, the geezer that had the Emperor as an apprentice! He had the power over life and death n'at...mibbe he was able to (eventually) come back?? Maybe that's why there's no Sith now??[/spoiler]
QuoteLife's too short to get wound up about plot holes and coincidences
Yeah, I mean, how dare we demand a base level of competence in the writing? Imo people are giving this film way too much benefit of the doubt. I think the article Joe posted pretty much confirms that these dangling plot threads and unanswered questions are the result of sloppy writing and editing rather than deliberate mysteries that will be teased out in later films. I really don't think there's a big masterplan that will tie it all up.
Quoteanyone worried about some plot holes,just buy the novellisation (out now on kindle ) it fills a few.
Here's my response to that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_Qqnq8pI8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_Qqnq8pI8)
The movie should stand on its own.
Quote
[spoiler]When I saw the first order, I didn't ask 'where'd these fuckers come from??'' As I was quite happy to grant that the loss of the Emperor would not cause the entire Empire to fall.[/spoiler]
I don't think anyone is complaining about that - what bothers people is that the conflict that these factions are fighting in and their relative scale and power vs one another is as clear as mud. It doesn't help matters that the First Order are portrayed as being so overwhelmingly powerful and in possession of such ludicrous levels of resources in the film you just wonder why they aren't steamrollering through the galaxy and destroying the Resistance completely. I'm all for not over-explaining things, but you have to give the audience at least
some context for what's going on.
QuoteWhich nobody seems very bothered about, either personally or in the big scheme of things.
This. [spoiler]Alderaan's destruction in the original Star Wars is similarly somewhat glossed over, but at least Leia gave a shit, and at least the moment itself had the required amount of dramatic weight and buildup.[/spoiler] [spoiler]The counterpart scene in TFA is so rushed and obtuse that literally no one understands what is going on. Even the hardcore fans are just like "Wait, was that Coruscant? Wuh?"[/spoiler] It was handled so badly I almost groaned.
Anyone else notice how awkwardly Poe Dameron drops out of the film in the first act? Apparently he was [spoiler]supposed to die[/spoiler] in a previous Abrams draft, but I get the feeling that in the original script he had a much larger role and [spoiler]was supposed to be the one to fly the Falcon (which would explain Rey's plot-convenient skill at piloting a spaceship).[/spoiler]
As fun a movie as it is, I honestly can't believe that some people are seriously entertaining the notion that TFA holds a candle to the OT.
Saw it in Leicester Square on Saturday night. Would have loved it, except [spoiler]they killed Han[/spoiler].
The other major drawback is that it's basically a remake of Star Wars (you call it A New Hope if you want to) but I could live with that as the new characters really are excellent, the action scenes exciting and funny bits really funny.
However, [spoiler]they went and killed Han[/spoiler] so I left the cinema angry and confused. [spoiler]Han-killing bastards.[/spoiler]
You seem to have focused on one point there.....
Can't say I disagree right enough! ;)
Plagueis - and I'm pretty sure we've never seen a piccy of him (not even in EU).
[spoiler]Ah, cool. Shit with names!! But yep, that's the fella. Perhaps explains the somewhat fucked up features of the fella.[/spoiler]
.
Quote from: sheridan on 22 December, 2015, 12:32:12 AM
Plagueis - and I'm pretty sure we've never seen a piccy of him (not even in EU).
We have indeed - there's even an action figure. Not that this means anything.
Quote from: radiator on 21 December, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
QuoteLife's too short to get wound up about plot holes and coincidences
Yeah, I mean, how dare we demand a base level of competence in the writing? Imo people are giving this film way too much benefit of the doubt. I think the article Joe posted pretty much confirms that these dangling plot threads and unanswered questions are the result of sloppy writing and editing rather than deliberate mysteries that will be teased out in later films. I really don't think there's a big masterplan that will tie it all up.
Quoteanyone worried about some plot holes,just buy the novellisation (out now on kindle ) it fills a few.
Here's my response to that:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_Qqnq8pI8 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z_Qqnq8pI8)
The movie should stand on its own.
Quote
[spoiler]When I saw the first order, I didn't ask 'where'd these fuckers come from??'' As I was quite happy to grant that the loss of the Emperor would not cause the entire Empire to fall.[/spoiler]
I don't think anyone is complaining about that - what bothers people is that the conflict that these factions are fighting in and their relative scale and power vs one another is as clear as mud. It doesn't help matters that the First Order are portrayed as being so overwhelmingly powerful and in possession of such ludicrous levels of resources in the film you just wonder why they aren't steamrollering through the galaxy and destroying the Resistance completely. I'm all for not over-explaining things, but you have to give the audience at least some context for what's going on.
QuoteWhich nobody seems very bothered about, either personally or in the big scheme of things.
This. [spoiler]Alderaan's destruction in the original Star Wars is similarly somewhat glossed over, but at least Leia gave a shit, and at least the moment itself had the required amount of dramatic weight and buildup.[/spoiler] [spoiler]The counterpart scene in TFA is so rushed and obtuse that literally no one understands what is going on. Even the hardcore fans are just like "Wait, was that Coruscant? Wuh?"[/spoiler] It was handled so badly I almost groaned.
Anyone else notice how awkwardly Poe Dameron drops out of the film in the first act? Apparently he was [spoiler]supposed to die[/spoiler] in a previous Abrams draft, but I get the feeling that in the original script he had a much larger role and [spoiler]was supposed to be the one to fly the Falcon (which would explain Rey's plot-convenient skill at piloting a spaceship).[/spoiler]
As fun a movie as it is, I honestly can't believe that some people are seriously entertaining the notion that TFA holds a candle to the OT.
You can demand all you like (which sounds a bit pompous)- I doubt it's going to make much difference. :lol:
I'm not sure if it's intentional but your final sentence seems extremely condescending to me. Lots of people enjoyed the film but you didn't - I can't believe that you can't believe that!
Personally I think TFA is at least as good as Ep 4. As part VII of a story, TFA has obviously done enough for enough people to keep them happy. I don't think anyone is claiming that it's perfect or that there aren't some problems here and there but for many the good bits, the plus points, are so well done that, on balance, people really enjoyed the experience of seeing the film. I don't see why you should have a problem with that or find it so unbelievable.
Personally it was worth the entrance fee just to see [spoiler]Kylo Ren go apeshit and smash up the room, Han getting killed, Rey, Finn and Po all killing it with their performances, the new X Wings, John Williams new score, BB8 and loads of other stuff.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Steve Green on 21 December, 2015, 09:29:31 PM
"I can't believe there's so much green in the galaxy" or whatever it was doesn't seem *that* much better than the sand line...
Well, except the sand line was a clumsy and sleezy chat-up line, and the green line (sure that's a bus company) was an expression of pleasure at being off of a desert planet.
Quote from: blackmocco on 20 December, 2015, 12:24:13 AM
I would say go see it again. I was pretty underwhelmed with it Thursday but went again last night with work and immensely
enjoyed it. Once your expectations are out of the way, it's easier to look past the stuff that's not floating your boat. Yes, the same problems are in there but I found the good more than outweighed the bad. At the end of the day, it's not a five star movie, but I'd say it's a decent four. It gets more right than wrong and it's a good foundation now to build on top of.
I now have visions of Seth talking through the movie as Stewie...
I deliberately avoided this thread completely before I saw the film.
Right from the word go I thought "this is great, way better than the prequels". Indeed I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was the most action packaged Star Wars yet.
Yes the [spoiler]lets below up the a third Death Star which has a convenient flaw a decent shot from an X Wing can target did make me go "ok so they have used that plot in 3 out of 7 movies now".[/spoiler]
It was only days after watching it that it occurred to me just how many coincidences it relies on. For me that is the weakest bit. I really don't mind that they haven't explicitly[spoiler] told us who Rey is. Like many on here I assume she is Ren's sister or cousin, but am happy for that to be revealed [/spoiler]in the next one.
But you know what, I still really enjoyed it and want to see it again.
Another thing the trip to the cinema revealed to me is that there is a new Star Trek film coming out next year. That is really great news (but I guess some of you on here already knew about it). I had assumed JJ would be doing more Star Wars (but he is't - well at least not the next one ) and would therefore be too busy to do more Trek. Glad that isn't the case.
Just got back from the cinema (with my 11 year old Son) and, like many others, I have avoided this thread.
Nothing really much to add. I've seen all 7 films on their first run at the pictures (I saw the original, first movie, 3 days after it came out. In fact I had 4 Star Wars figures before I had even seen the film) and just wanted to say that I, and my Son, absolutely loved it.
Yeah, it's got some plot holes (many of which, I think, will be addressed in the future movies) but I was able, quite easily, to be able to switch my brain back to that of an 8 year old boy and just revel in it.
And having avoided the spoilers I have to say that [spoiler]when Han dies is the biggest shock I think I have ever experienced in the cinema. Bigger than 'I am your Father' (which he doesn't actually say), and bigger than Bruce Willis being dead in The Sixth Sense, which I had kinda figured out anyway. Fuck you JJ.[/spoiler]
Thought the new cast were exceptional and Daisy is just gorgeous and very talented (which is a bit creepy because I'm old enough to be her Father.)
Loved it, loved it, loved it. A great new James Bond and a great new Star Wars movie in the last couple of months. I feel very spoiled. :D
The other thing I loved is that the trailers are cut in such a way that they don't actually give anything away.
Quote from: radiator on 21 December, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
As fun a movie as it is, I honestly can't believe that some people are seriously entertaining the notion that TFA holds a candle to the OT.
Ah man, it easily leapfrogs Jedi for me. I think yourself and Colin are being
very hard on it. I agree there's some obvious deficiencies with the movie's plot and direction, stuff that prevents it from being 100% perfect, but it's so much better than it needed to be to keep me happy. If we're honest, most of the Star Wars movies don't hold up to any kind of intense scrutiny. The stuff that worked for me far outweighed the stuff that didn't and really, I'm just thrilled the characters themselves were so successful. Second viewing in, it didn't matter to me so much about the laziness of the Starkiller base. I just wanted to spend more time with these characters. It's a perfectly effective, if not completely successful, new Star Wars movie which, if nothing else, has built a great foundation for more to come. That's the reason people are so satisfied, I would think.
And frankly, after a year that vomited Jupiter Ascending and Jurassic World upon us, I'd say that's a good reason to be thankful enough...!!!
Quote from: blackmocco on 22 December, 2015, 03:42:22 PM
Quote from: radiator on 21 December, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
As fun a movie as it is, I honestly can't believe that some people are seriously entertaining the notion that TFA holds a candle to the OT.
Ah man, it easily leapfrogs Jedi for me. I think yourself and Colin are being very hard on it. I agree there's some obvious deficiencies with the movie's plot and direction, stuff that prevents it from being 100% perfect, but it's so much better than it needed to be to keep me happy. If we're honest, most of the Star Wars movies don't hold up to any kind of intense scrutiny. The stuff that worked for me far outweighed the stuff that didn't and really, I'm just thrilled the characters themselves were so successful. Second viewing in, it didn't matter to me so much about the laziness of the Starkiller base. I just wanted to spend more time with these characters. It's a perfectly effective, if not completely successful, new Star Wars movie which, if nothing else, has built a great foundation for more to come. That's the reason people are so satisfied, I would think.
And frankly, after a year that vomited Jupiter Ascending and Jurassic World upon us, I'd say that's a good reason to be thankful enough...!!!
I think Jedi's the best one!
?........darth vader does say "I am your father".
Quote from: JamesC on 22 December, 2015, 04:04:40 PM
Quote from: blackmocco on 22 December, 2015, 03:42:22 PM
Quote from: radiator on 21 December, 2015, 10:57:46 PM
As fun a movie as it is, I honestly can't believe that some people are seriously entertaining the notion that TFA holds a candle to the OT.
Ah man, it easily leapfrogs Jedi for me. I think yourself and Colin are being very hard on it. I agree there's some obvious deficiencies with the movie's plot and direction, stuff that prevents it from being 100% perfect, but it's so much better than it needed to be to keep me happy. If we're honest, most of the Star Wars movies don't hold up to any kind of intense scrutiny. The stuff that worked for me far outweighed the stuff that didn't and really, I'm just thrilled the characters themselves were so successful. Second viewing in, it didn't matter to me so much about the laziness of the Starkiller base. I just wanted to spend more time with these characters. It's a perfectly effective, if not completely successful, new Star Wars movie which, if nothing else, has built a great foundation for more to come. That's the reason people are so satisfied, I would think.
And frankly, after a year that vomited Jupiter Ascending and Jurassic World upon us, I'd say that's a good reason to be thankful enough...!!!
I think Jedi's the best one!
And I have plenty of friends who would agree with you!
I love Jedi......a bit like temple of doom, it might not be the best but seems to be the most fun to re-watch.
The Ewoks are dead, according to science.
""The aftermath of this impact would be to obliterate everything on the surface. No Ewok could withstand an impact of that magnitude," Minton concluded. "Every forest would ignite into a global firestorm." This also would certainly have annihilated the most important members of the Rebel Alliance celebrating their ultimate victory over the Galactic Empire. Whoops."
http://www.iflscience.com/space/death-star-iis-destruction-may-have-doomed-ewoks-say-scientists
Quote from: SIP on 22 December, 2015, 04:07:13 PM
?........darth vader does say "I am your father".
Yeah, the common misquotation is "Luke, I am your father" when he actually says "No, I am your father"
Quote from: SIP on 22 December, 2015, 04:07:13 PM
?........darth vader does say "I am your father".
I may have had some mulled wine this very...erm...afternoon.
Quote from: Magnetica on 22 December, 2015, 03:09:04 PM
Yes the [spoiler]lets below up the a third Death Star which has a convenient flaw a decent shot from an X Wing can target did make me go "ok so they have used that plot in 3 out of 7 movies now".[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Young Anakin taking out the droid control ship[/spoiler] was pretty similar as well...
Very nearly went to see this last night and after I got off my make-shift bed on the floor of the lounge room (After feeling a bit lagged, like I have been for the last fortnight.) I found my these Star Wars themed pajama bottoms, (Only other way to other way describe then, being blue in colour with repeated images of Star Wars logo along with R2-D2 on them. Brought them earlier this year along with this white/grey long sleeve top with a larger picture of R2-D2 on it.) and a my Driza-Bone long coat along with my Slaine beanie on top. Couldn't find a pair of shoes, and only had a pair of thongs handy.
Sitting at the computer before I leave prepare to leave the house. I see it's really ten past nine at night and I would know it because there is still light outside at around about seven thirty when I put my head down early.
The last session at the local was about to start and I couldn't bother my father (He doesn't feel right!) to drive me in or wait for a Taxi and de-cloaked and de-be-capped. Because I was sweating and thought.....
Maybe today, this morning or afternoon or night....
Quote from: Magnetica on 22 December, 2015, 03:09:04 PM
Yes the [spoiler]lets below up the a third Death Star which has a convenient flaw a decent shot from an X Wing can target...
This doesn't happen, of course[spoiler] - there is no 'shot in a million', like Luke's or Anakin's. The base proves entirely snub-fighter proof, until Han deactivates the shields (as he did in Jedi, admittedly), and even then not until Chewie blows the regulator up from the inside. And that is one costly mission. The X-Wings only prove effective against a breach created by other means, up to that point they're gnats biting an elephant. The plot may be the same, but the vulnerability is different.[/spoiler]
QuoteIf we're honest, most of the Star Wars movies don't hold up to any kind of intense scrutiny.
I'm hearing this a lot, and I have to respectfully disagree. Yeah, there's probably some pretty whacky plot stuff in the OT when you really break it down, but to my mind there's nothing that really leaps out of the screen and slaps you around the face in the way that happens a lot in TFA*, especially in the second half of the movie. Events in all three original movies
seem to me to follow on from each other in a fairly logical manner from start to finish and hold up pretty well under scrutiny. For example in the first film, the characters and MacGuffin all come together in a perfectly logical, organic way - in TFA, not so much; you have to swallow several pretty hefty coincidences right off the bat.
QuoteAh man, it easily leapfrogs Jedi for me.
Personally I think TFA is the weaker film simply because of how derivative it is of the originals, and how a lot (but not all) of it's 'punch the air' moments only have potency because of how heavily they lean on our shared nostalgia. I just can't imagine any single scene in TFA being anywhere near as enduring or iconic, long term, as Jabba's palace, or the speeder bike chase, or Luke vs Vader round 2.
QuoteI think yourself and Colin are being very hard on it.
Should stress that I'm mostly being critical about plot stuff, and that while I think the script and plotting - on some levels - is objectively weak, I liked almost everything else in the movie. I obviously care about it or I wouldn't be going on about it so much. I'll probably see it again at some point and see if these things bother me as much second time round.
I'll be interested to see how people look back on it in a few years time. My feeling is that, much like with Abrams' Trek movies, once the initial glow of hype dies down I think people will reappraise it and the general consensus will be slightly more critically in hindsight. Just my opinion.
*Fully appreciate that I may be blind to glaring faults through overfamiliarity though.
I liked it better than the originals, but not as much as the prequels.
-PJ
Ahhh... this is interesting theory that someone post it online. but warning it very very very spoiler for trilogy, if in case.
[spoiler]You been warned...[/spoiler]
[spoiler]What if Kylo Ren turn to dark side is part of planning to destroy the Sith and restore the balance? [/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 22 December, 2015, 09:16:06 PM
Ahhh... this is interesting theory that someone post it online. but warning it very very very spoiler for trilogy, if in case.
[spoiler]You been warned...[/spoiler]
[spoiler]What if Kylo Ren turn to dark side is part of planning to destroy the Sith and restore the balance? [/spoiler]
Well they've plundered every other idea from the EU, why not that one too! ;)
I prefer the theory that [spoiler]Rey is the son of Luke and Leia, and that's why Luke is in hiding.[/spoiler]
Rey is a bloke!!! Now that is a twist.
She's a clone of Palpatine, obviously. Note the eeeevil accent.
Well, I've seen this twice now. The first viewing was with the hard core elite (my two brothers). We were there for the original films on the cinema and are lifelong star wars fans.....and the concensus on the first viewing was one of disappointment. Much like TB I couldn't really enjoy it for many reasons. The second viewing was more pleasurable (expectations lowered, prepared for the bit I dreaded from the early rumours). I saw it with my 7 year old son (I'm desperate to get him interested but alas pokemon is his first love ) and it was more fun. I will go for a third time over Christmas, this time dragging my wife and daughter along too.
My current verdict is that is fun but, and I'm surprised to say it, I would have liked to see what direction George wanted to go in. I love daisy ridley and the other new cast members.....but was disappointed in the lacklustre Hamill showing (the only original cast member I wanted to see back).
Thought the whole thing was a bit light and hollow, maybe I'll change my opinion over time. Would be very interested to see all of the bits that they cut out.
Quote from: pauljholden on 22 December, 2015, 08:58:53 PM
I liked it better than the originals, but not as much as the prequels.
-PJ
(https://media.giphy.com/media/srTYyZ1BjBtGU/giphy.gif)
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 22 December, 2015, 11:52:30 PM
Quote from: pauljholden on 22 December, 2015, 08:58:53 PM
I liked it better than the originals, but not as much as the prequels.
-PJ
(https://media.giphy.com/media/srTYyZ1BjBtGU/giphy.gif)
LMFAO!!!
Planning to see the film soon......and my toilet break during [spoiler]Hans death scene.[/spoiler]
"once your expectations are out of the way, it's easier to look past the stuff that's not floating your boat"
Good advice, blackmocco. I attended a second viewing today (just on my lonesome) and enjoyed it more the second time around. I found the plot/dialogue flowed more smoothly. Even a certain character's death made a lot more sense.
It has its flaws - but so did ROTJ.
SW is in a good place now. Very keen to see what Episode 8 brings us.
As a hardcore Lucas loyalist, I do find much to chew over in reactions to this film. At one level it's obvious that the leaden dialogue and unlikeable characters are not missed one jot, the humour is more balanced, and some of the action more engaging. The rhetoric of the pre-publicity with its 'real deserts' revisionism (where do they think the Tatooine scenes from the Prequels were filmed?) annoys me even more now, when the extent of not-always-great CGI in this film is considered, and if I'm honest, the too-chunky design of the 'real' stormtroopers isn't as good as that of the CGI clones.
At the same time something is missing, maybe an eye for selecting simple evocative designs (are there any cool new spaceships in this film, other tha Ren's rather derivative shuttle?), and a certain mythic sweep that we (I) had been taking for granted... A 'larger universe' perhaps. I'd love to have seen Abrams and Kasdan work their considerable magic on a Lucas storyline in a Lucas world, and I suspect we'll be reflecting more on George's strengths (and notbjust his weaknesses) as time goes on.
Rey was very good. Ren was as well. Snoke whetted the appetite - interested to see more of that chap. And....err.... mmmmm....
Well, better than the prequels...
Quote from: Tordelback on 23 December, 2015, 09:48:04 AM
At the same time something is missing, maybe an eye for selecting simple evocative designs (are there any cool new spaceships in this film, other tha Ren's rather derivative shuttle?),
Not sure that's true, there is Reys Speeder, the new snowspeeder, troop carriers and a very cool new star destroyer design. Even the most minor ships in the original trilogy are so familiar having been merchandised for 30 years you instantly recognize even the fleeting glimpse you get of some of them on screen. Simple evocotive designs were done well in the prequels .. didnt stop them being gash :)
"are there any cool new spaceships in this film?"
I think you're partly right, TB. When the resistance ships attack the Starkiller Base at the end of the movie, it would have been nice to see something completely fresh - in addition to the updated X-Wings.
Also, Han's smuggling ship - the one he uses to swallow the Falcon - could have been a bit more inspiring.
Way hey I can add something positive to the discussion. I thought Kylo's ship looked cool.
I like thumb ups between Finn and B-88.
You know that bit where [spoiler]they hide Luke from his father by leaving him with his uncle and not even changing his name![/spoiler] or [spoiler]when the death star apparently travels to the secret rebel base, I assume across space, but then has to take 10 mins to get around a planet to blow up the base (rather than just killing the planet too), thus giving the rebels time to organize a counter attack[/spoiler]. I just can't get past them ;)
Quote from: James Stacey on 23 December, 2015, 09:58:11 AM
Quote from: Tordelback on 23 December, 2015, 09:48:04 AM
At the same time something is missing, maybe an eye for selecting simple evocative designs (are there any cool new spaceships in this film, other tha Ren's rather derivative shuttle?),
Not sure that's true, there is Reys Speeder, the new snowspeeder, troop carriers and a very cool new star destroyer design. Even the most minor ships in the original trilogy are so familiar having been merchandised for 30 years you instantly recognize even the fleeting glimpse you get of some of them on screen. Simple evocotive designs were done well in the prequels .. didnt stop them being gash :)
I'm not sure slightly different versions of Lucas' iconic Star Destroyers, X-Wings and TIEs count at all, [spoiler]the snowspeeder doesn't really appear, and I find the landing craft, Han's freighter and Leia's B-Wing Mk2 profoundly dull - Rey's speeder (which is just Luke's speeder on its side) and the unused Quad-jumper just make the grade, [/spoiler]and despite being a variant on the Tyderium, the giant bat vibe of Kylo's shuttle is the only really impressive design.
Well Tordelback, do you think you could promise never to see Star Wars again? :-X
I saw it tonight, but miss-timed my visit to the toilet, [spoiler](Should have asked the one of female ticket sales attendants to help me out with that!) because I still saw the whole scene there thinking why couldn't Chewie &/or the others intervene instead of appearing to just be spectators and whilst I was walking home alone in the rain. I cottoned on to the fact the what was happening between the two characters was some kind reconciliation and then it happens. Still, a over 800 year old Wookie, or those two potentialJedi might have had a bad felling about what was happening and there are other circumstances I might have missed.
I literally did miss a small of chunk of this film whilst at the toilet...the part after they have landed the M.Falcon (That comment about doing the Kessel run in less than or just on 14 parsecs (Yeah, I knew it was twelve like it was somebodies age.) on that forest world when Rey (I wonder if her name and Finn meant to be joint together. Lime Finn-Rey or Finray?) was alone in the woods with the little robot (Interest in this little one will last along as the gimmick of a robot that can move the way it does!)
When I got back I saw that Han and Chewie were walking through the ruins of a recently destroyed base before some of that stuff happened again, by the looks.
Now I like Finn, and thought he was not so much spoke-man for his minority than I was thinking before I saw this and just man doing what he felt was the right thing to do. Like when he assisted the hot - shot - pilot. Who I think was called Po and my original guess at Han and Leia's, (I wonder if Leia took the last name Solo or maybe they don't do that in a galaxy that far way and long time ago!) off-spring. Pity he died or appear to have done so. I think might have last longer if he did.
I like Rey, but also found something unsettling about her (Even though still also find her attractive!) might ever see beyond her character and as someone to squeeze in the name of squeezing. Yea, she was stand-offish even when Finn grabbed her hand and she relaxed enough to almost let him sweep her off her feet and she know how to handle that make-shift-quarter-staff. Don't know why she dropped it or did she? She don't need Luke's light-sabre. Right now, I'm not sure how she might otherwise be connected or related to any of the other or other older characters.
I'm not so sure about Po (As I think he was referred as!) and aside from some fancy flying (Not really fancy enough compared to some of the stuff I saw Rey and Han pull off in the M. Falcon. That thing she almost got the ship to hang or pause in the middle of a barrel roll. While Finn successfully dispatched of one bad ships....that's amazing stuff!) Thought he was a gone after he and Finn crashed on Jakku. Don't really see how he could out of that ship's cockpit so fast or was in his own personal escape capsule? I didn't really hear everything he had to say about that one when they were reunited later on. I think that he might have been cloned and that he really did go down with that stolen ship.
BTW, what bumped into them. This was shown and perhaps for reason. if compare this film to the first one A New Hope, and now I'm wondering if Han was flying his old ship around at that time, even though we are lead to believe some where else after losing the M. Falcon at another earlier point in time. It's just a thought of my own that came to me while sitting here at the PC. You know how he did that to Vader at the end of New Hope, but your not shown what becomes of him until the next film.
I don't like the villain much at all. even in the way most people shouldn't like or admire a villain. yet, I never like the look that was supposed to almost mimic Vader's appearance. On further inspection, he's only wearing helmet with suit made from some course material that never looks so much as refined as Vader's uniform. I don't like it one bit that he ever removes his helmet or does it so early in a possible trilogy and the fact that I feel he seem more like a Star-Wars fan that was allowed to take part in the official franchise when he should have stayed in audience. He does ruin the film with his presence and to think that he's actually the son of Han and Leia[/b. Not convinced about that at all and yet, Han recognises the younger man or already knew who he was. Maybe, Luke trained him and that s why he isn't with them, because he might be seen as responsible for that happening. Maybe they don't get on with each other so much. I know I should have paid better attention to the detil s, but I was too dazzled by the special effects that played their part better in this film, not since the first trilogy before George Lucas started modelling with them and yet the effects are every bit as modern as they were made when the meddling was first implemented. It like J.J. Abrams knew what to give fans.
Well done one that! Yes, I find this movie every bit as good the first ones considering their effects are very dated now. There is also that warm fuzzy feeling I got from watching those films the first time as a kid and it's almost the same feeling now, except, I have a broader streak of being a little more world weary which adds tarnish to my innocence. It's always never going to be as good as it ever was.
That last scene , the very last scene seemed a little bit dragged out and I though they might have ended it before we got to have a glimpse of Luke standing in a place that looks like one of those island north of Scotland or Island. It was very green and I thought I caught a glimpse of the ruins of Skara -Brae, but that just may be my a trick of the mind or my eyes deceiving me.
When she is holding out Luke's-Old-Light-Sabre to him as he turns around slowly and de-hoods from his cloak and we see that time as haven't been that cruel to him much at all considering it's passing. I thought they did some great work highlighting his better facial features. (As well with Han. Sadly, Leia seems does look like she had some work done that makes her harder to recognise and I only know it's really her because they say so. Fortunitely, her acting is still there to carry her. It does seem weird that both the guys were given more love in the make-up department and she might be working harder be her old self.
Anyway, I bet Luke might be speechless that this young upstart slip of a girl is handing his own ass back to him and knew where to find him and this is another element of the force as we don't see it, but How I think it works. Kind of like a certain well known and favoured 2000AD barbarian demanding that a certain dwarf retrieve his certain axe and if it couldn't be proven that this dwarf and that girl Rey don't exist despite their efforts then that is awful long way for Luke to have summoned/retrieved his old light-sabre. [/spoiler]
I have more to share and in light of watching this film and imagining how much it could be altered in any way to be a film about Slaine set in and around the land of young and the four-El-Worlds. Like I did earlier last fortnight in this topic this message board. I like to make some amendments there.
[spoiler]Finn isn't a potential Jedi. He is not in anyway i tune with the force.[/spoiler]
Quote from: James Stacey on 23 December, 2015, 01:22:19 PM
You know that bit where [spoiler]they hide Luke from his father by leaving him with his uncle and not even changing his name![/spoiler] or [spoiler]when the death star apparently travels to the secret rebel base, I assume across space, but then has to take 10 mins to get around a planet to blow up the base (rather than just killing the planet too), thus giving the rebels time to organize a counter attack[/spoiler]. I just can't get past them ;)
and the bit were han and luke could fit all their normal clothes including boots beneath the stormtrooper armour
Quote from: Proudhuff on 23 December, 2015, 02:09:55 PM
Well Tordelback, do you think you could promise never to see Star Wars again? :-X
Hoping to go again tomorrow morning, as it happens!
Saw it and enjoyed it. Mostly because of all the call-backs and references that I got. Made me feel super smart.
Saw a 3D screening even though there are 2D too.
I thought it was pretty good - a few more chances with the storyline would have helped as it looked like they chopped up the first three films and made this out of random pieces. Another [spoiler]Death Star[/spoiler][spoiler] in all but name - c'mon![/spoiler]
I was just looking at this thread when my eleven year old son happened to look and see the massive posts dissecting every detail.
He pities you all. "Oh my God. These are all mega Star Wars nerds"
Just to reiterate, an eleven year old boy thinks you're all taking it too seriously.
Dissect every detail? At least three more viewings before that can even be attempted. This is first impressions territory we're in here.
Quote from: James Stacey on 23 December, 2015, 09:58:11 AM
Not sure that's true, there is Reys Speeder
Rey's speeder? Not sure if it's a classic design, though would make a good USB stick or lollipop:
(http://i.imgur.com/no5qwrU.png)
As one of my favourite ships in all the films is the TIE Interceptor (specifically this model):
(http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/4/4e/TIE_Interceptor_DICE.png/revision/latest?cb=20151106060537)
p.s. yup - I like the updated version of the Imperial Shuttle too (though not as much as the original). Just to prove it's not all nostalgia here, I like the new colour-scheme on the X-wings more.
I thought the prequels felt more like Star Wars movies than this did, which is quite a thing considering how much it recycles from the OT.
Best bit was [spoiler]when the cinema audience started laughing like drains when the Genesis Planet was disintegrating and the big crevice opened perfectly between Kylo and Ray and someone behind me said "Seriously?" [/spoiler] This, I think, is a paradigm for a great many of the film's flaws, particularly the use of coincidence to bridge scenes. A lot of time was also dedicated to the emotional stuff, but none of it actually landed for me. I suppose this was a weak point for the original movies, but then they traded in archetypes rather than nuanced characters, so you didn't feel they had to work quite so hard to get the point across.
Also: [spoiler]it's a fucking Death Star. AGAIN. All they do is make fucking Death Stars that the Rebels then blow up by deactivating the shields and then shooting the weak point and they wonder why they haven't conquered the galaxy yet?[/spoiler]
That all sounds very negative, but I did enjoy it, just in the same way I enjoyed the many Star Wars knock-off movies that came out in the 1980s like StarCrash, Battle Beyond the Stars, Space Raiders, etc.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 23 December, 2015, 11:18:12 PM
That all sounds very negative, but I did enjoy it, just in the same way I enjoyed the many Star Wars knock-off movies that came out in the 1980s like StarCrash, Battle Beyond the Stars, Space Raiders, etc.
Space Raiders was a film? I thought it was just a packet of crisps (and three comic panels on the back of each).
Here's a link to my indepth thoughts on the film.
Same rules as ever though folks - if it is on my Blog it means I liked it. my review is honest and mostly positive but I do accept everything isn't perfect.
Over all though I really, really enjoyed this both times I watched it.
linky link (https://judgetutorsemple.wordpress.com/2015/12/24/star-wars-episode-vii-the-force-awakens-opinion-review-with-spoilers/)
Bat King, that is a fantastic piece of work - one of the most intelligent reviews of TFA that I've read (and I've read a lot). Did a great job of reminding me of how much background information is actually in the film, and how the different roles work together, and genuinely enhanced my appreciation. Cheers!
Some things, I forgot to say before.....always using
Spoiler-Tags, in case they are considered that way.
[spoiler]
Phasma has cool armour and not sure if she actually did get her head blown off.
Finn threatened this at some stage????
Kylo-Ren helmet looks like one of those
Nazi helmet.
(http://k31.kn3.net/taringa/3/9/3/2/9/4/5/bl0od/DFB.jpg)(http://www.ww2germansteel.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/product_full/Mail%20Home%20Helmets0010.jpg)
[spoiler]Maybe that's just the most suitable design.
His light-sabre is awesome in the subtle crudeness of the blade and the noise it makes. Aside from the cross design, the crudeness and noise do set it apart like it's chain-saw or chain-sword rather than just a blade.
Did anybody nobody notice the weird alien pop it's head up from the sand dune as something....perhaps the little ball shaped droid passed by. The alien appears in
A New Hope right at the beginning of the
Mos-Eisley-Cantina where's it a bit more obvious.....[spoiler]
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EfUjceu1itM/TVgnnlXe5rI/AAAAAAAAGj4/lGa9jXnwvaw/s1600/A6.jpg)
About the female alien who owns that fortress-cantina on the forest world. The female one wearing spectacle, always going on about eyes. Notice her hands are those of normal human. Must be something in that, maybe she was human once....a mutation. I'm just going to call her
Miss-Ukko.
[spoiler]As for
Luke with his back turned to
Rey as she approached him at last. While standing on the edge of the edge of cliff face over the water. Not something I'd like to be caught doing unawares. Yet, I guess a true
Jedi is never that vulnerable. Even if they appear to be.
More to say later and considering a second viewing right now. Can I really spare the money????[/spoiler]
QuoteI'm just going to call her Miss-Ukko.
Awesome! Kind of a cross between Nest and Ukko, maybe?
Nollaig shona duit, TS mate.
Merry Christmas and Happy Jesus's Birthday to you too, ...to all of you (http://forums.2000adonline.com/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
[spoiler]Saw it again to night and I almost made it through the entire movie without getting feeling that I should be napping. I just wanted to roll over and fall asleep after sitting through Hans death scene again. I can confirm that Chewie was just watching this happen before loosing a bolt of energy towards Rylo as......
I just deleted a lot of stuff, I realised I didn't want o share with you about how I though he might have survived that ordeal.[/spoiler]
I will share more later!
TS, the things you notice and extrapolate from movies! I am always amazed when you don't notice what's actually there, the 'text' rather than the subtext. What actually happens in explicit dialogue and footage rather than the possibility of a 1,000 year old mutant rather than alien just because her hands aren't weird :). Phasma/Fasma (idk) didn't get her head blown off, they shoved her in a trash compactor. She'll be back I'm sure.
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 24 December, 2015, 01:47:12 PM
TS, the things you notice and extrapolate from movies! I am always amazed when you don't notice what's actually there, the 'text' rather than the subtext. What actually happens in explicit dialogue and footage rather than the possibility of a 1,000 year old mutant rather than alien just because her hands aren't weird :). Phasma/Fasma (idk) didn't get her head blown off, they shoved her in a trash compactor. She'll be back I'm sure.
Well, it's just speculation on my part. No harm in that!
Yeah, they did do that to
Fasma and I thought it was creepy the way they agreed with each other what to do. Stuff like that happens, but normally they just do it and I was wondering what else happens when the camera is focused on some other scene.
BTW some body has given me two warnings about talking about the [spoiler]So called death of
Han[/spoiler] TWICE!!!!!!
Normally I get on well with this guy, but he writes it like he's pissed. I was going to reply, telling him he might be getting me confused up with somebody else. Some thing really fishy about that otherwise.
I think you'll find I've ben real careful; with my spoiler tags and taking about that sensitive stuff.
Anybody want to back me up here?
It's real shame when people randomly start throwing accusations around here like that.
Quote from: Tordelback on 24 December, 2015, 05:26:42 AM
Bat King, that is a fantastic piece of work - one of the most intelligent reviews of TFA that I've read (and I've read a lot). Did a great job of reminding me of how much background information is actually in the film, and how the different roles work together, and genuinely enhanced my appreciation. Cheers!
Thanks Tordelback - much appreciated. :)
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 24 December, 2015, 02:08:26 PM
Yeah, they did do that to Fasma and I thought it was creepy the way they agreed with each other what to do. Stuff like that happens, but normally they just do it and I was wondering what else happens when the camera is focused on some other scene.
I thought it was more a call-back to A New Hope than anything else.
QuoteBTW some body has given me two warnings about talking about the [spoiler]So called death of Han[/spoiler] TWICE!!!!!!
Normally I get on well with this guy, but he writes it like he's pissed. I was going to reply, telling him he might be getting me confused up with somebody else. Some thing really fishy about that otherwise.
Can't say I've noticed you mentioning anything like that outside of spoiler tags.
p.s. echoing your seasonal greetings to everybody, and hope you're settling into your new place.
Quote from: sheridan on 24 December, 2015, 12:54:38 AM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 23 December, 2015, 11:18:12 PM
That all sounds very negative, but I did enjoy it, just in the same way I enjoyed the many Star Wars knock-off movies that came out in the 1980s like StarCrash, Battle Beyond the Stars, Space Raiders, etc.
Space Raiders was a film? I thought it was just a packet of crisps (and three comic panels on the back of each).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tY3DxYhv8YQ
Roger Corman knew how to get his money's worth, so he not only re-used the SFX and musical score from Battle Beyond The Stars, he even used some leftover taglines in the trailer, which seems to be describing an entirely different story than the one which appeared in
Raiders.
Also, this guy seems to arrived at much the same conclusion about the new Star Wars movie that I did:
using the perpetual motion machine of nostalgia to power a story that's all shortcuts. Even the new stuff is built out of the material of the old stuff, denying audiences the shock of discovery but giving them the comfort of familiarity. It's a fan giving the fans what they want. (http://birthmoviesdeath.com/2015/12/24/will-star-wars-just-be-fanfic-from-now-on)
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 24 December, 2015, 02:08:26 PM
[
BTW some body has given me two warnings about talking about the [spoiler]So called death of Han[/spoiler] TWICE!!!!!!
Normally I get on well with this guy, but he writes it like he's pissed. I was going to reply, telling him he might be getting me confused up with somebody else. Some thing really fishy about that otherwise.
I think you'll find I've ben real careful; with my spoiler tags and taking about that sensitive stuff.
Anybody want to back me up here?
It's real shame when people randomly start throwing accusations around here like that.
Nah, I've been warned about that too, it's nothing personal - I think it's great that people are keeping an eye, and making sure no-one gets accidentally spoiled. It's just what it claims to be - a warning reminder to watch what we write. Actually, it's the first time I've ever seen such a concerted effort from almost
everyone to keep things under wraps.
Quote from: sheridan on 24 December, 2015, 06:22:39 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 24 December, 2015, 02:08:26 PM
Yeah, they did do that to Fasma and I thought it was creepy the way they agreed with each other what to do. Stuff like that happens, but normally they just do it and I was wondering what else happens when the camera is focused on some other scene.
I thought it was more a call-back to A New Hope than anything else.
QuoteBTW some body has given me two warnings about talking about the [spoiler]So called death of Han[/spoiler] TWICE!!!!!!
Normally I get on well with this guy, but he writes it like he's pissed. I was going to reply, telling him he might be getting me confused up with somebody else. Some thing really fishy about that otherwise.
Can't say I've noticed you mentioning anything like that outside of spoiler tags.
p.s. echoing your seasonal greetings to everybody, and hope you're settling into your new place.
Nah, not yet. I'm still with me dad, cause I have ben hit with a strange wave of some thing akin to jet-lag fro almost the last fortnight . From time my father said my brother gave him the keys to the new place and we could start moving my stuff there. I still got to clean room which has turned out to be bigger job than usual. I haven't ben able to do much during the day and what makes it worse is that I can't get at my usual bed for the moment. That and the summer heat have kept me awake during the nights like I'm a vampire.
During the days I just collapse on the couch cushions I've use for a bed on the floor of the lounge.
Quote from: TordalBackNah, I've been warned about that too, it's nothing personal - I think it's great that people are keeping an eye, and making sure no-one gets accidentally spoiled. It's just what it claims to be - a warning reminder to watch what we write. Actually, it's the first time I've ever seen such a concerted effort from almost everyone to keep things under wraps.
Yeah, I hated it too when I first peaked under somebodies spoiler tags to see what shouldn't have been seen.
Everybody keeps on about Supreme Leader Snoke being [spoiler]Darth Plagueis[/spoiler]. But he is clearly [spoiler]Ezra Bridger[/spoiler] from [spoiler]Star Wars: Rebels[/spoiler]. They even have the same bloomin' nose.
Quote from: 8-Ball on 24 December, 2015, 08:39:41 PM
Everybody keeps on about Supreme Leader Snoke being [spoiler]Darth Plagueis[/spoiler]. But he is clearly [spoiler]Ezra Bridger[/spoiler] from [spoiler]Star Wars: Rebels[/spoiler]. They even have the same bloomin' nose.
Damn good idea that! If one of those[spoiler] Lothcats [/spoiler]menaces our heroes next time out, we'll know for sure. I got the most wonderful momentary thrill when I saw Max Vion Sydow's [spoiler]'old ally'[/spoiler] character, for just an instant I was convinced he was [spoiler]Kanan[/spoiler].
Quote from: Tordelback on 24 December, 2015, 09:40:00 PM
Quote from: 8-Ball on 24 December, 2015, 08:39:41 PM
Everybody keeps on about Supreme Leader Snoke being [spoiler]Darth Plagueis[/spoiler]. But he is clearly [spoiler]Ezra Bridger[/spoiler] from [spoiler]Star Wars: Rebels[/spoiler]. They even have the same bloomin' nose.
Damn good idea that! If one of those[spoiler] Lothcats [/spoiler]menaces our heroes next time out, we'll know for sure. I got the most wonderful momentary thrill when I saw Max Vion Sydow's [spoiler]'old ally'[/spoiler] character, for just an instant I was convinced he was [spoiler]Kanan[/spoiler].
During an interview with
Richard Marquand back in 1983, when they were promoting
Return of the Jedi, there was a reference to someone akin to
Supreme Leader Snoke turning up in the sequels:
"Did George tell you the complete SW saga?
Yes, all nine parts ... if you follow the direction and project into the final trilogy, you realise you're going to meet the supreme intellect, and you think, how is it possible to create a man who has such profound cunning that he can not only control Darth Vader, but the fate of Luke Skywalker? Control the destiny of the whole galaxy? You'll be amazed!" - Richard Marquand, Prevue Magazine, July 1983
I do rather fancy the idea of Snoke being a bigger puppet master behind the Sith and Jedi, in keeping with the idea that this trilogy will blur the lines between Dark and Light. After all, alone of all the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn knew the score, and he was of the opinion that there's always a bigger fish.
Quote from: Tordelback on 24 December, 2015, 11:35:03 PM
I do rather fancy the idea of Snoke being a bigger puppet master behind the Sith and Jedi, in keeping with the idea that this trilogy will blur the lines between Dark and Light.
And the Knights of Ren too.
I hope they continue the mothers and daughters aspect of it. Wouldn't mind seeing General Organa go a bit dark and gung ho after Han's death - the Resistance should've captured that Starkiller base and used it on the First Order.
Pretty sure Snoke is that English actor, Bill Nighy without looking it up....
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 25 December, 2015, 08:28:32 AM
Pretty sure Snoke is that English actor, Bill Nighy without looking it up....
He's none other than Gollum/Kong/Caesar/Captain Haddock/Andy Serkis. Nighy would have been good, though!
"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
The Force is all around me
And so the power grows
It's written on the wind
It's everywhere I go, oh yes it is
So if you feel the Force
Come on and let it show
You know I love the Force, I always will
My mind's made up by the
Way that I feel
The Force has no beginning,
The Force has no end
'cause in the Force you can depend"
Quote from: Tordelback on 25 December, 2015, 08:45:45 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 25 December, 2015, 08:28:32 AM
Pretty sure Snoke is that English actor, Bill Nighy without looking it up....
He's none other than Gollum/Kong/Caesar/Captain Haddock/Andy Serkis. Nighy would have been good, though!
Not to be insulting, it just looked like him under the prosthetics....
Can't show you the way I saw him, because my images aren't working properly.
I was pretty sure it was him underneath all that damage.
Quote from: Bat King"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
The Force is all around me
And so the power grows
It's written on the wind
It's everywhere I go, oh yes it is
So if you feel the Force
Come on and let it show
You know I love the Force, I always will
My mind's made up by the
Way that I feel
The Force has no beginning,
The Force has no end
'cause in the Force you can depend"
You came up with that yourself?
There aren't any prosthetics - he's clearly a CGI creation. (Hence why Andy Serkis was hired for the mo-cap performance and he looks kinda like Gollum.)
Being all-CGI, he sticks out like a sore thumb in film where the re-emphasis was on practical effects. And just looked slightly rubbish, I thought.
I thought he looked like Voldemort from the Harry Potter films. IE: rubbish.
Quote from: GordonR on 25 December, 2015, 01:33:43 PM
Being all-CGI, he sticks out like a sore thumb in film where the re-emphasis was on practical effects. And just looked slightly rubbish, I thought.
Terribly jarring, and a dull design too (another absolute-last-minute decision on the look, I'd guess, which admittedly is a SW tradition). Happily his only appearing as a giant hologram gives Johnson a certain room for manouever in redesigning.
Quote from: Tordelback on 25 December, 2015, 02:27:12 PM
Terribly jarring, and a dull design too (another absolute-last-minute decision on the look, I'd guess, which admittedly is a SW tradition). Happily his only appearing as a giant hologram gives Johnson a certain room for manouever in redesigning.
I'm hoping he's going to turn out to be Yoda-sized when we actually meet him.
And with a comedy squeaky voice.
Yeah, he stuck out for me too. They'll probably have it sorted out by about the third special edition.
Calling it now, when we meet him in the flesh he'll be about three feet tall.
Quote from: Mister Pops on 25 December, 2015, 02:39:09 PM
Calling it now, when we meet him in the flesh he'll be about three feet tall.
Redlettermedia seem to have accreted this as a prime example of predictability, but to be honest Napoleon complexes are common in cinematic villeins.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 25 December, 2015, 02:42:14 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 25 December, 2015, 02:39:09 PM
Calling it now, when we meet him in the flesh he'll be about three feet tall.
Redlettermedia seem to have accreted this as a prime example of predictability, but to be honest Napoleon complexes are common in cinematic villeins.
As Spike Milligan said, their brains are too close to their arses.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 25 December, 2015, 02:42:14 PMNapoleon complexes are common in cinematic villeins.
Poor Napoleon, forever misrepresented by clerical error:
The myth of the "Napoleon Complex" — named after him to describe men who have an inferiority complex — stems primarily from the fact that he was listed, incorrectly, as 5 feet 2 inches (in French units) at the time of his death. In fact, he was 1.68 metres (5 ft 6 in) tall, an average height for a man in that period.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon
Short arse. ;)
As some of you may know, I have bene coming up with a lot of odd theories about this film.
This I have been bouncing around in my head since I first saw the film two days ago.
[spoiler]Rey is kind of like a game avatar or most probably some sort of Jedi armature or puppet of his.
This explain her so called Wild-Jedi skills so far. Maybe also the piloting skills, as well, but it's also possibly she might have learnt this normally. The only thing about that is that even she and Finn (Who also most admittedly just meet her, so it's kind of odd he didn't expect her to be such a pilot, unless this film is being as sexist as I am!) after they got the M.Falcon off of Jakku fully intact.
Maybe it's also possible that Finn is like a game avatar and much the same thing of Han Solo. It was only the way Finn started antagonising Fasma after they had got the upper hand of her. It's just that he sounded so much like Han when he was teasing her before they eventually decided to throw her in the trash compactor. Besides, Finn appears to get mortally wounded by Kylo's light-sabre not so long after Han met a similar end. Kind of like Finn was only had so much own free will to survive as long as he did after Han fell.
Of course, for this to be possible, it's most likely it's some form of science rather than through the mysticism of Force, because Han is no Jedi (not to my knowledge!) himself. yet, he has been around for along time in this franchise and may have acquired some other advantages along with Luke and they are both playing some elaborate game against each other and not only did Han lose to Luke, but he was directly assaulted by Kylo-Ren.
Like they were both watching and remotely controlling Ren and Finn to firstly meet up with each other and recovered the M.Falcon and then find their way back to place where Han could collect them all together and get his ship back. The thing went crazy when he got caught up in the game himself. So he got killed.
So you all may think I need to watch this film a few more times to get my facts straightened out, but some of this really falls into place. Especially, when Rey returns Luke's sabre to him. She might have been remotely controlled the whole time.[/spoiler]
Just more insane speculation on my part.
If Rey's a remote-controlled avatar of Luke's - and good job there robbing the franchise's first genuine action heroine of any actual agency - then why does she need the completed star map to find Luke? And if her mission is to find Luke's light sabre, then that's not much of a plan of Luke's, given that she only finds it by blind luck when Han takes her - for a completely different reason - to the place where it happens to be.
No-one is an avatar of anyone. Star Wars really isn't that complicated - The Force Awakens to-be-resolved-later mysteries are all in plain sight and clearly sign-posted.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 25 December, 2015, 02:42:14 PM
Quote from: Mister Pops on 25 December, 2015, 02:39:09 PM
Calling it now, when we meet him in the flesh he'll be about three feet tall.
Redlettermedia seem to have accreted this as a prime example of predictability, but to be honest Napoleon complexes are common in cinematic villeins.
Ooooh, I Can watch the RLM review now. Shame it's not Plinkett though.
Edit: Accreted? Predictive text seems to have interfered there.
The thing with Rey[spoiler] as a pilot is that she actually tells Finn that she is a pilot, and clearly knows about the characteristics of the various ships in Unkar's (?) landing field. It's not a huge stretch that she's been flying stuff around Jakku for Unkar or another junk dealer. [/spoiler]We never saw Luke flying anything before his X-Wing either, but he (and Ben and Biggs) tell us that he's a good pilot - that's how we know. L'il Ani, Kitser and Watto serve the same function in TPM.
Add to this that the Force is [spoiler]especially strong with Rey (and Luke, and Ani), and she has a vision which seems to indicate that she was somehow present at Luke's Academy when it was destroyed, and there really is no reason to question her abilities. [/spoiler]Apart from the fact that's she's a girl, of course.
I read an hilarious (not) comment which suggested that Rey [spoiler]shouldn't have been able to beat (a badly injured) Kylo Ren in a fight because 'women are naturally smaller and weaker' than men. This from a supposed fan of a movie franchise that has Yoda as a major character.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tordelback on 25 December, 2015, 07:56:59 PM
I read an hilarious (not) comment which suggested that Rey [spoiler]shouldn't have been able to beat (a badly injured) Kylo Ren in a fight because 'women are naturally smaller and weaker' than men. This from a supposed fan of a movie franchise that has Yoda as a major character.[/spoiler]
:lol:
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 25 December, 2015, 08:00:03 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 25 December, 2015, 07:56:59 PM
I read an hilarious (not) comment which suggested that Rey [spoiler]shouldn't have been able to beat (a badly injured) Kylo Ren in a fight because 'women are naturally smaller and weaker' than men. This from a supposed fan of a movie franchise that has Yoda as a major character.[/spoiler]
:lol:
That's the sort of thing a chap from work is always coming out with.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 25 December, 2015, 10:12:55 AMon
Quote from: Bat King"I feel it in my fingers
I feel it in my toes
The Force is all around me
And so the power grows
It's written on the wind
It's everywhere I go, oh yes it is
So if you feel the Force
Come on and let it show
You know I love the Force, I always will
My mind's made up by the
Way that I feel
The Force has no beginning,
The Force has no end
'cause in the Force you can depend"
You came up with that yourself?
Yup
I do tend to have a problem taking in everything in in one sitting and will need a few more before I can be satisfied I know as much everybody here. Besides I haven't read anything that might have prepared me for this one.
As with films like this, writers are often allowed to make graphic novels or short story that eliminates any loose end. In this instance, it's anything between this film and
Return of the Jedi.
Still got a problem with her being the
Jedi she is and I guess I'll just leave it that.
Yes, I am sexist, and that explains a lot about me!
I won't continue with my weird theories as simple is always turns out to be the best explanation.
Was tempted to continue along that line of thought where I might have it that
Rey and
Fin were only the figments of
Luke and
Han's imaginations. That's as far as I go with that theory as well.
Anyway, it was up from last midnight until early morning playing this....
Empire at War (http://store.steampowered.com/app/32470/)
After playing as the
Rebel Alliance and continuing to lose and then switching sides and allowing myself to win this time get full satisfaction building a death star and wiping out every planet in the alliance sector. Which wasn't nearly as many shown here....
(http://eaw.heavengames.com/cpix/planets/galaxy.gif)
One of planets refreshed my memory...sounding like the name of leader of outlaw biker gang featured in one of those
Clint Eastwood films when he had that orange haired lower primate for a companion.
It's turns out he looks a lot like.....
(http://movie-dude.co.uk/John%20Quade%20%20Every%20Which%20Way%20But%20Loose%20(1978).jpg)(http://www.geek.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/FullSizeRender-3-590x429.jpg)
....and who was really underneath it all....
(http://cdn.bols.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/simon-pegg.jpg)
I can only imagine how hot it is!. Going by the wet cloth.
While
Maz Kanata reminds me of....
(http://www.nndb.com/people/671/000024599/linda-hunt-3-sized.jpg)(http://gq8ne3sd6ka12wvdz3ubnadf.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/maz-kanata-2.jpg)
Yet really turns out to be....
(http://oronoticias.com.mx/Noticia/6/img/O-05052015-211744.jpg)
Who ever she is?
Now you mention it, I did actually wonder why Linda Hunt wasn't playing Linda Hunt's character in The Force Awakens. Perhaps JJA is not a big NCIS Los Angeles fan?
(http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Wi0M63nd--/ecyxiynwm5n7tbuddqbo.gif)
Seriously now Goaty. I know how much you like posting random jpegs/gifs without actually contributing to the discussion at all, but that will spoil one of the many fun moments of this movie for those who haven't seen it yet. Show some consideration
Saw it. Liked it.
It doesn't make any sense whatsoever and it's basically all a big remix of the originals but I enjoyed it.
Quote from: Bat King on 25 December, 2015, 09:40:57 PM
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 25 December, 2015, 08:00:03 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 25 December, 2015, 07:56:59 PM
I read an hilarious (not) comment which suggested that Rey [spoiler]shouldn't have been able to beat (a badly injured) Kylo Ren in a fight because 'women are naturally smaller and weaker' than men. This from a supposed fan of a movie franchise that has Yoda as a major character.[/spoiler]
:lol:
That's the sort of thing a chap from work is always coming out with.
Haven't heard that particular doozy, but have seen a lot of people complaining that [spoiler]Rey couldn't possibly hold her own in a lightsaber battle with Kylo given she has no training. For me that complaint misses the point of the Kylo Ren character completely and doesn't take into account what makes him interesting - the fact that he really isn't the ultimate badass that he projects himself as. Everything about him is insecure posturing, and watching the movie a second time I really appreciated how sloppy the battle actually is.
He's very injured and upset (he just killed his dad!) and Rey seems to be getting by purely on adrenaline. It's not a technical display of years of Jedi training, it's all emotion and fury, they're just swinging at each other. The tipping point is when Rey actually takes a moment to close her eyes and settle her thoughts, and that's how she gets the upper hand over Kylo's tantrum style. Nothing to do with skill with a lightsaber, everything to do with letting go of anger.[/spoiler]
It's a really nice touch and one those critics don't seem to be picking up on which is a shame. Really enjoyed my second viewing, found it somehow even more exciting than the first go round. Bea got me the 6 movie boxset for Xmas so looking forward to getting Star Wars-ed out my nut over the holidays.
You ate right about the [spoiler]Lightsaber battle in my opinion Keef. I think I missed that bit out of my review. So much to the film. Ren doubts himself and that will clearly affect how he performs. You have to believe in the Force and in yourself. Clearly he believes in the Force bit his doubts are his weakness. All that was on screen.[/spoiler]
It's funny, I'd usually be first in line and to complain about implausible swordfights, but everything about [spoiler]that final duel worked fine for me on first viewing (apart perhaps from Convenient Chasm syndrome) - it was a big messy brawl in the dark, visceral and gripping.[/spoiler] I also honestly didn't know how it was going to play out, which was great.
I'd have given a great deal for Anakin and Obi-Wan's duel to have been more like this one.
So I haven't heard much about the new film on the forum....is it any good? :-\ Z
The best bit was when Darth Vader kills Yoda at the end.
Rosebud was his first Podracer.
R2 was a ghost all along.
Ani, he's not his Daddy.
Quote from: ZenArcade on 27 December, 2015, 02:07:04 PM
So I haven't heard much about the new film on the forum....is it any good? :-\ Z
I love it, great stuff. Seen it twice. :thumbsup:
Now I know who is
Fasma....
(https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTp_YBA4eGvSKLgiR0rVJCJ41Zn5XWbaEz_tvnah1LrvNEYzYW9)
That tall girl from
Game of Thrones who doesn't scrub up so badly out side of that show and I wonder if she'll ever return from the trash compactor?
Also wonder if her (and I read it somewhere else!) special armour suit wasn't meant for the
Kylo-Ren (and this was considered!), but they want him to be that way. otherwise, why not make her the
Vader villain character instead of him or combine both characters. I could see her playing that role much better though. Because I think I might have liked that idea of a female arch-villain.
You see
Kylo-Ren doesn't impress me at all, but
Fasma despite her temporary fate. She's feels more enigmatic.
To make this work, I would have also got rid of
Rey and just had
Finn as the hero. Because a female hero and female villain seems a bit too neat.
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 23 December, 2015, 04:29:48 PM
[spoiler]Finn isn't a potential Jedi. He is not in anyway i tune with the force.[/spoiler]
You know...[spoiler]There was no mention of midichlorians whatsoever in the new film. I think what will happen is the force will written to be like what is in the original trilogy, a energy all living beings can tap into etc.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Ancient Otter on 27 December, 2015, 08:43:58 PM
[spoiler]I think what will happen is the force will written to be like what is in the original trilogy, a energy all living beings can tap into etc.[/spoiler]
Maz Kanata paraphrased The Force explanation as per the original trilogy.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 27 December, 2015, 08:38:50 PM
To make this work, I would have also got rid of Rey and just had Finn as the hero. Because a female hero and female villain seems a bit too neat.
So, basically, you've come up with another way - Rey is a Force-controlled puppet of Luke's, Rey is a figment of Han's imagination, and now Phasma should be the main villain so Rey can't be the main character - to reduce or remove Rey from the story.
And why is it 'too neat' to have a hero and villain that are the same gender if they're both female but not if they're both male? Take your time to come up with an answer that isn't just more of your raw misogyny.
Quote from: GordonR on 28 December, 2015, 08:38:29 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 27 December, 2015, 08:38:50 PM
To make this work, I would have also got rid of Rey and just had Finn as the hero. Because a female hero and female villain seems a bit too neat.
So, basically, you've come up with another way - Rey is a Force-controlled puppet of Luke's, Rey is a figment of Han's imagination, and now Phasma should be the main villain so Rey can't be the main character - to reduce or remove Rey from the story.
And why is it 'too neat' to have a hero and villain that are the same gender if they're both female but not if they're both male? Take your time to come up with an answer that isn't just more of your raw misogyny.
Well, would you agree that
Star Wars started out as primarily a man or boys
Scifi-Fantacy and it's slowly acquired female fans after it's main stream success. Yet, I still this a male dominated fantasy and it may be wrong to just have main characters that female or female main characters that are supported by other female characters while pitted against a female villain.
You might have guessed, I had to
Google the meaning of that word and found it a little misleading.
Sure, I've haven't had much luck with women in my life so far and I feel threatened by the ones trying to take my rightful place. Of course, I might feel that way about anybody.
Yet, I don't actively seek out women just to demean them in any way. I just target anybody who gets in my way for the soul purpose of annoying me.
I don't mind it when a women succeeds in a world dominated by men, yet I no longer feel that the world is dominated by men. So what's the big deal about women getting their way. This time more about women crushing men underfoot than anything else.
Most women who do give me a hard time these days, don't do so. Unless they have the advantage and rightly so. I guess. Like, if they were armed, or had the support of some authority or hiding behind the anonymity of the internet or the advantage of having more inter-web smarts than I do. This could be a person of either gender as well.
I do try to get on with the ones who I come face to face with. Unless their actions toward me have become undeniably despicable and once again this could be men as well.
I think my problem with women is only when it seems personal.
Anyway, getting back on subject. I just figured,
Phasma (Yeah, I found out today her name is spelt that way!) would have made a better
Sith-Lord replacement following in the footsteps of
Vader than just a prominent trooper. I think
Kylo-Ren makes this film look bad with his presence.
I don't see how you find this about misogyny.......I also like
Rey and understand her tendency to be a little abrasive comes from her harsh scavenger upbringing. Yet, I find her light-sabre skills not in proportion with her apparent lack of training. Of course, the reason for this is perhaps yet to be revealed. I'm not so sure her using the mind trick on that
Trooper. Where did she get the idea that she was force sensitive (And when you consider my confusion here, please remember that I wasn't so attentive watching this film twice that I could process and recall every detail without seeing this a few more times!) or was she just reaching for anyway out when she was strapped in that interrogation chair?
I like
Rey but could easily imagine this film without her. Possibly replaced by
Finn or even
Luke minus the plot about using a lost section of star map to find him.
On the subject of making this film more female dominated regarding the casting. This might be like gender swapping the female cast of
Sex of the City. Would anyone still watch that show if that was the case.
The same goes for this new
Ghost-Busters film being taken over by females. So far, it just sounds really dumb. yet, I won't elaborate on this until the film is out.
Oh god why did I even bother reading that?! "My rightful place" indeed!
Mods? Kindly redirect this to another thread please, I don't want this to go the way of the MM thread.
I actually think a gender swapped Sex and the City would work and can't believe something much like it doesnt already exist - I suspect it at least as popular amongst women as the original.
http://www.ew.com/article/2005/07/22/entourage-male-sex-and-city (http://www.ew.com/article/2005/07/22/entourage-male-sex-and-city)
I've never watched more than a few minutes of either, so not sure how accurate it is.
QuoteI don't see how you find this about misogyny
QuoteSure, I've haven't had much luck with women in my life so far and I feel threatened by the ones trying to take my rightful place.
No further questions, m'lud.
Everyone else sees it; you never will. Let's get back to Star Wars.
There are many male versions of Sex and the City: "some mates of the same gender live in a city, they try to get laid, drama/comedy ensues" is pretty much most shows made for men. You probably just don't notice because they're usually cops or firemen or live in the year 2487.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 28 December, 2015, 11:38:11 AM
There are many male versions of Sex and the City: "some mates of the same gender live in a city, they try to get laid, drama/comedy ensues" is pretty much most shows made for men. You probably just don't notice because they're usually cops or firemen or live in the year 2487.
True, but none of them are called
Gender-Swapped Sex in the City. Without reading that article about
Entourage be just that. Is the show set in the same universe. Meaning, there are references made to original female characters from
Sex in the City?
Simply, put....is
Entourage the official spin-off of
Sex in the City?
I don't think it is, and that is my point!
Besides, that, I never got it that it might have been and never watched it. Yet regarding,
Sex in the City...that name is very bait. It does attract attention. I was expecting more soft-porn with that title and I think it almost is. Still there that seem to be as much with the sex as that
Spartacus mini-series was and that one was also well known for it's violence.
This thread is the only place in the western world right now where there isn't enough Star Wars.
We can't be blamed because you're slacking off over the holidays. We're doing our best here.
What I just read?
I need to see all the Clone Wars & Rebels cartoons now.
I think we'd need to copy paste all the text from the novelisations and the Expanded Universe...
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 28 December, 2015, 10:42:06 AM
Well, would you agree that Star Wars started out as primarily a man or boys Scifi-Fantacy and it's slowly acquired female fans after it's main stream success. Yet, I still this a male dominated fantasy and it may be wrong to just have main characters that female or female main characters that are supported by other female characters while pitted against a female villain.
I wouldn't agree with that. A female character in a 1970s story aimed at boys would not feature a character like Leia. Neither would Leigh Brackett have been hired to write the first draft of ESB (not sure exactly when she wrote it, but she died in March 1978, so it must have been very soon after ANH was released).
QuoteThe same goes for this new Ghost-Busters film being taken over by females. So far, it just sounds really dumb. yet, I won't elaborate on this until the film is out.
All I know about the latest Ghostbusters film is that a) it features women as the Ghostbusters and b) their costumes/uniforms have a double stripe on them. The former I am indifferent towards, the latter I don't like the look of, but if that's the worst I can say about the new film then this is a good thing.
Quote from: Tordelback on 28 December, 2015, 12:41:38 PM
This thread is the only place in the western world right now where there isn't enough Star Wars.
Do we still need to us spoiler tags? When the next film comes out, can we have a spoiler thread and a non-spoiler thread?
My favourite bit was when it went all Battlestar Galactica!
(http://www.movieprop.com/tvandmovie/Battlestar/leader1.jpg)
Quote from: COMMANDO FORCES on 28 December, 2015, 02:56:37 PM
My favourite bit was when it went all Battlestar Galactica!
(http://www.movieprop.com/tvandmovie/Battlestar/leader1.jpg)
Thank you! There's been an itch about those scenes in the back of my brain since I saw the film. That's where I saw that! :)
Quote from: sheridan on 28 December, 2015, 02:46:02 PM
All I know about the latest Ghostbusters film is that a) it features women as the Ghostbusters and b) their costumes/uniforms have a double stripe on them. The former I am indifferent towards, the latter I don't like the look of, but if that's the worst I can say about the new film then this is a good thing.
It's not the change in gender that bothers me. It's the fact that the women they hired are all very meh and unfunny to me. There are some truly funny women, but these aren't among them.
Quote from: sheridan on 28 December, 2015, 02:47:38 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 28 December, 2015, 12:41:38 PM
This thread is the only place in the western world right now where there isn't enough Star Wars.
Do we still need to us spoiler tags? When the next film comes out, can we have a spoiler thread and a non-spoiler thread?
Good idea.
Quote from: sheridan on 28 December, 2015, 02:46:02 PM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 28 December, 2015, 10:42:06 AM
Well, would you agree that Star Wars started out as primarily a man or boys Scifi-Fantacy and it's slowly acquired female fans after it's main stream success. Yet, I still this a male dominated fantasy and it may be wrong to just have main characters that female or female main characters that are supported by other female characters while pitted against a female villain.
I wouldn't agree with that. A female character in a 1970s story aimed at boys would not feature a character like Leia. Neither would Leigh Brackett have been hired to write the first draft of ESB (not sure exactly when she wrote it, but she died in March 1978, so it must have been very soon after ANH was released).
QuoteThe same goes for this new Ghost-Busters film being taken over by females. So far, it just sounds really dumb. yet, I won't elaborate on this until the film is out.
All I know about the latest Ghostbusters film is that a) it features women as the Ghostbusters and b) their costumes/uniforms have a double stripe on them. The former I am indifferent towards, the latter I don't like the look of, but if that's the worst I can say about the new film then this is a good thing.
It's the fear and loathing description of the Ghostbusters remake as being "taken over by females" that your mind should really be boggling at.
Quote from: von Boom on 28 December, 2015, 03:27:23 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 28 December, 2015, 02:46:02 PM
All I know about the latest Ghostbusters film is that a) it features women as the Ghostbusters and b) their costumes/uniforms have a double stripe on them. The former I am indifferent towards, the latter I don't like the look of, but if that's the worst I can say about the new film then this is a good thing.
It's not the change in gender that bothers me. It's the fact that the women they hired are all very meh and unfunny to me. There are some truly funny women, but these aren't among them.
My bugbear is the studio and makers insisting that an all-female cast "isn't a gimmick" but something which happened organically. Hollywood is just not that progressive - not even in 2015 - and every time I see some misogynistic dickhead go off on one about the casting, I can't escape the feeling that the makers actually
want that kind of publicity.
Can't this be split from this thread? It isn't on topic.
I gots stuff to say but I'm not perpetuating the HUGE off topicness of it.
Quote from: Bat King on 28 December, 2015, 03:43:23 PM
Can't this be split from this thread? It isn't on topic.
I gots stuff to say but I'm not perpetuating the HUGE off topicness of it.
Please...yes....lets do that.
BTW, I'm printing Han Solo's blaster......just thought I'd say.....as it's a bit 'star wars-ey'. :D
I wouldn't try to force it. With 138 pages of opinions on Star Wars already in the bank, I suspect we shall return to the topic at hand sooner rather than later.
If I may...
Apologies if covered in this thread before - the whole 'not got a plan to take down the shields' is stupid enough but to the take them down by merely holding Phasma at gunpoint while she presses a few buttons and disables them is just lazy writing.
Everything relating to yet another Death Star was lazy writing.
Lazy writing within lazy writing.
Quote from: GordonR on 28 December, 2015, 11:23:26 AM
QuoteI don't see how you find this about misogyny
QuoteSure, I've haven't had much luck with women in my life so far and I feel threatened by the ones trying to take my rightful place.
No further questions, m'lud.
Everyone else sees it; you never will. Let's get back to Star Wars.
I'm soooo glad I found the Ignore button. :D
My three boys spent ten or so hours with about ten other children (boys and girls from 3-12) having light sabre fights and blaster battles.
Therefore, despite the odd Nerf bullet to the eye, I'd say that this film is a success.
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2015, 08:36:31 PM
My three boys spent ten or so hours with about ten other children (boys and girls from 3-12) having light sabre fights and blaster battles.
Therefore, despite the odd Nerf bullet to the eye, I'd say that this film is a success.
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA: do you
really think your parents loved Star Wars when they took you to see it?
Really? I think they loved the fact that
you loved it. I don't think most of them even liked it, because it wasn't aimed at them... because, you know, they were grown ups.
The kids need a Star Wars film they can enjoy. Your job is to take them to the cinema, buy them the action figures, and shut the fuck up about it.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 December, 2015, 10:05:20 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2015, 08:36:31 PM
My three boys spent ten or so hours with about ten other children (boys and girls from 3-12) having light sabre fights and blaster battles.
Therefore, despite the odd Nerf bullet to the eye, I'd say that this film is a success.
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA: do you really think your parents loved Star Wars when they took you to see it? Really? I think they loved the fact that you loved it. I don't think most of them even liked it, because it wasn't aimed at them... because, you know, they were grown ups.
The kids need a Star Wars film they can enjoy. Your job is to take them to the cinema, buy them the action figures, and shut the fuck up about it.
Cheers
Jim
This.
I'm no fan of Star Wars - didn't watch them until they rerealeased them in 199whenever. Took my 10 year old to see this and he loved it.
Now the only thing I thought was a bit groan worthy was [spoiler]having another Death star style threat. They have to rescue Rey, so there really is no need for them to repeat themselves for a third time (ignoring any prequel DS action that I might not be aware of)
You could argue that Jim's very good point about this being the film for today's kids gives them all the excuse they need to give them their own DS moment, though today's kids are already steeped in the originals, so hmmm... benefit of the doubt (but it having it 'just' a First Order stronghold would have reduced a few plot stretches a bit)[/spoiler].
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 December, 2015, 10:05:20 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2015, 08:36:31 PM
My three boys spent ten or so hours with about ten other children (boys and girls from 3-12) having light sabre fights and blaster battles.
Therefore, despite the odd Nerf bullet to the eye, I'd say that this film is a success.
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA: do you really think your parents loved Star Wars when they took you to see it? Really? I think they loved the fact that you loved it. I don't think most of them even liked it, because it wasn't aimed at them... because, you know, they were grown ups.
The kids need a Star Wars film they can enjoy. Your job is to take them to the cinema, buy them the action figures, and shut the fuck up about it.
Cheers
Jim
My Dad loved it, we were his excuse to go. My Mum loved it cos we loved it.
Me. I love this one too. Cos I'm guilty of being Forty-Something nerd.
My Mum loved Star Wars. She still goes on about it at 73. She didn't enjoy Empire and subsequent, stating them to be 'too dark'. My Father-in-Law loved them, and saw TFA with his sister and their spouses (all about 68) on opening day. And for the 'women don't get it' camp, my wife has been a fan since '77. S'one of the many reasons I love her.
The kids (daughter 6 and son 9) enjoyed TFA, but the son still prefers 'his' Star Wars, that is, the Clone Wars, to the point that he insists on calling TFA 'Episode VIII', and while my daughter didn't like that Princess Leia got old (she thought Rey should have been Leia), her great love for Chewie saw her through. We still haven't made it to a second viewing, mainly due to it being my baby brother's wedding today, and my other brother and his kids being home from Oz. But we will.
All the nonsense I spout is in my own head, for me Star Wars is a world more than any one movie, and that's how I approach it. I acknowledge the success of this movie, but still prefer TPM. This one is 5th best, for now, but the more I read into the supporting media, the more I like it.
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 December, 2015, 10:05:20 PM
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA: do you really think your parents loved Star Wars when they took you to see it? Really? I think they loved the fact that you loved it. I don't think most of them even liked it, because it wasn't aimed at them... because, you know, they were grown ups.
As of today I've seen it twice, made me feel like an eight year old now. And there's even new Marvel Star Wars comics and a series of Judge Dredd reprints being released (it was the Return of the Jedi UK, plus Eagle Comics Dredd reprints with Bolland covers when I was young).
Quote from: Bat King on 28 December, 2015, 11:01:47 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 December, 2015, 10:05:20 PM
Quote from: The Enigmatic Dr X on 28 December, 2015, 08:36:31 PM
My three boys spent ten or so hours with about ten other children (boys and girls from 3-12) having light sabre fights and blaster battles.
Therefore, despite the odd Nerf bullet to the eye, I'd say that this film is a success.
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA: do you really think your parents loved Star Wars when they took you to see it? Really? I think they loved the fact that you loved it. I don't think most of them even liked it, because it wasn't aimed at them... because, you know, they were grown ups.
The kids need a Star Wars film they can enjoy. Your job is to take them to the cinema, buy them the action figures, and shut the fuck up about it.
Cheers
Jim
My Dad loved it, we were his excuse to go. My Mum loved it cos we loved it.
Me. I love this one too. Cos I'm guilty of being Forty-Something nerd.
I would echo this. Age has nothing to do with it. My father had two kids by the time the original trilogy played out. I didn't stand a chance, my father indoctrinated me into Star Wars. I was his excuse to buy toys.
I am a
Jedi Star Wars Fan, like my father before me.
I do get the point you're making Jim, but saying it's for kids is how George tried to justify Jar Jar Binks. Star Wars has never been a kids show for me, it has always been
family entertainment. Both my sister and brother-in-law are debating over how soon they should expose my 3 year nephew to the series.
I would adjust your sentiment to say
lonely 30/40-something nerds.
Isn't TFA, at least in part, aimed at those original fans from '77?
Pretty sure all that sales pitch about practical sets etc wasn't aimed at 8 year olds.
I had opted out of this 'cos I was being all to negative BUT as I'm one of those with my knickers well and truly twisted I thought it fair to say regardless of who its aimed at (and I'm really glad that kids like it cos they bloody well should) doesn't invalidate any issues folk have (and when I say folk I of course mean me!) with it having many problems as its objectively very flawed. I watch many (far too many!) kids films these days and they still stand up to a 43 year olds ability to determine a good movie, or story more to the point, from a bad one regardless of its target and TFA is a bad one.
My kids will have a completely different set of criteria and thank the maker they do. I'd have been much happier if it'd felt like it was made for a whole new generation of fans, but one of my two main issues with it is that its too full of stuff that seems aimed at a 43 year old fan of the originals and doesn't have the courage to be its own thing.
Its also worth noting that kids who see this will very often already have their own Death Star moment (well two of um) as they'll have seen the originals too as well.
Mind since the original did it so well and clearly trapped far too many fans into a life long emotional struggle with anything in the series that followed maybe giving a new generation its own cinematic heroin based on the old recipe is a very smart move!
Well, have seen it three times now.....didn't enjoy the first showing to much (just way to much anticipation and how to get through), but really enjoyed it the other two times. Would happily suit through it a couple more times in the cinema, but I'm now officially out of money!
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 28 December, 2015, 10:05:20 PM
As far as I can tell, kids bloody love this movie. Serious question for all the thirty/forty-something nerds and former nerds with their panties in a bunch over TFA
Repeated with important part bolded for the benefit of people who seem to have missed that bit.
Cheers
Jim
Yeah we were visited by a six year old over Christmas. He unfortunately let slip a pretty major spoiler in his mad (principally lego set-based) excitement at the franchise but it was still pretty excited. His fever for a certain ship in LEGO got me reminiscing over one of my former favourite toys:
(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51LjbDXaTpL._SX425_.jpg)
Sweeeeet. Loved that thing.
Anyway - in further news I'M SEEING IT IN A FEW HOURS so I can finally break my thread embargo - although I unfortunately wasn't wise enough to avoid FB which (due to its habit of shoving things that people have casually liked rather than deliberately shared) spoiled something pretty major for me over Christmas.
So... having managed to remain more-or-less spoiler free, I got to see The Force Awakens yesterday... IMAX 3D not because I was particularly fussed about 3D but because it's the biggest screen and the best sound system at our local Cineworld. Turns out the 3D was pretty good, though.
First: I enjoyed it. I'll almost certainly go and see it again. The fun bits were fun, the exciting bits were exciting and the perilous bits had a sense of real peril.
I'm going to nit-pick a bit in the spoilery section below. There are proper spoiler in there, so don't unhide unless you've seen the movie:
[spoiler]I wish they'd held their nerve.
I liked the new stuff. I liked the new characters. I liked the evocation of lived-in solidity that connected the films back to the original trilogy in a way that the prequels never managed. I liked the way the original cast were used — I figured, given Ford's opinion on what should have happened to Han during Jedi, that Han was on shaky ground but Ford was so thoroughly engaging in the role that I found myself genuinely hoping that he'd make it.
I can accept that the film starts from a similar stand-point to the original — we live in an era where recent history has shown us that toppling a despot is very rarely a happy ending, so I'm comfortable with the idea that the post-Endor galaxy doesn't look that different to the pre-Endor one... I just wish they'd had the nerve to write a new finale instead of meticulously re-staging the one from Episode IV.
Plus, I'm not sure how those First Order strategy meetings must go...
"So, it's agreed — we're going to shift the balance of military power decisively in our favour. How do these planet-killing super-weapons stack up?"
"Well, there was the Death Star..."
"Right. Death Star. How did that work out?"
"The Empire fired it once and then a bunch of lightly armed fighter craft blew it up by exploiting a design flaw."
"Oh. OK... how did the Empire deal with that?"
"Bigger Death Star."
"Right. Bigger Death Star. How did that one work out?"
"Same guys blew it up using lightly armed fighter craft to exploit a design flaw before it was ever deployed."
"Oh. OK... and our plan is...?"
"Even bigger Death Star!"
"You've made sure there are no Achilles-Heel-type design flaws this time, right?"[/spoiler]
But, like I said, the kids seem to love it. There's wonder and fun, and, crucially, I thought, a resistance to the urge to explain everything leaving space in the story-world for young imaginations to fill in. That's good enough for me.
Cheers
Jim
Even people don't like the film like Finn though, right?
I see what you mean Jim but didn't [spoiler]the star killer base effectively achieve exactly what it was built to do before it was destroyed? OK so the first Death Star destroyed Alderaan (pretty much just as an example of what it could do, the second didn't even get finished. This one destroyed (checks the internet) Hosnian Prime, the New Republics capitol and entire fleet. Yeah it felt like a bit of a rehash of almost every other Star Wars movie but I'd say the First Order one that one.[/spoiler]
Yeah, that is sort of my take. It seems like [spoiler]a waste of massive investment to just use it once, but it did wipe out the Republic government and navy, and Snoke didn't seem too bothered. Luke, Klyo and Rey seemed to be his main interest.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]Did we actually see the "fleet" onscreen?[/spoiler]
I like how it's accepted that we need to watch this film multiple times before we stop/start hating it properly.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 29 December, 2015, 12:57:53 PM
[spoiler]Did we actually see the "fleet" onscreen?[/spoiler]
I like how it's accepted that we need to watch this film multiple times before we stop/start hating it properly.
[spoiler]Nope. Nor did we get any kind of confirmation that Starkiller base has ALL the first order troops on it....that's all simple inference and conjecture from fandom. [/spoiler] Have only seen it the once thus far myself, so will accept any correction should I have missed a line or two someplace.
No, I'd say you're spot on there MacRoth, I don't think any of that is in the film. As mentioned before, note also that the Visual Guide [spoiler]makes it clear that the New Republic was largely demilitarised (remember that prior to AotC the Republic had no military) and decentralised, with the Senate sitting on different worlds in rotation.[/spoiler]
Saw it again for the second time today and loved it it more.
Went with my Dad, whose last visit to the cinema was about 10 years ago, and who has no interest in Star Wars, and my Wife who has even less interest in Star Wars.
They both loved it.
I loved it even more 2nd time around and it's now my favourite film of the franchise by some margin.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 29 December, 2015, 12:57:53 PM
[spoiler]Did we actually see the "fleet" onscreen?[/spoiler]
I like how it's accepted that we need to watch this film multiple times before we stop/start hating it properly.
You can see one or two capital ships in orbit of Hosnian Prime, including one clearly Calamari design, if memory serves. Otherwise yeah, quite a let-down.
Quote from: JPMaybe on 29 December, 2015, 08:01:58 PM
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 29 December, 2015, 12:57:53 PM
[spoiler]Did we actually see the "fleet" onscreen?[/spoiler]
I like how it's accepted that we need to watch this film multiple times before we stop/start hating it properly.
You can see one or two capital ships in orbit of Hosnian Prime, including one clearly Calamari design, if memory serves. Otherwise yeah, quite a let-down.
Cor, missed that!
That was everything I thought it would be. Still processing it so all this will be fairly scattershot but nobody is holding their breath for any new opinions a week and a half late so I'll be brief.
The first half an hour was an utter joy - brilliant fun and a great entrance for both Rey, Finn and Poe who were entirely more rounded than most characters from the original trilogy. Particularly Finn who's one of the most instantly likeable characters I've seen in recent years. After that it gets a lot busier [spoiler]and a great deal more predictable. Han's death was sadly quite obvious so the actual moment did nothing for me but Chewie's immediate shooting of Kylo had me clenching the chair GET HIM FUZZBALL. KILL THAT FUCKER. Even though the rash and misguided Kylo was a strong new character too. GET THE BASTARD. The ending unfortunately I knew so the bluntness of it wasn't overwhelming for me although if I had no idea I'd be quite irritated by it I imagine, ground to a halt rather nicely 'closing the book' if you get my drift.[/spoiler]
Either way - lots of familiar elements to keep everyone on side, literally no mention of the prequels in any form, a lot of darkness, a lot of great flying and fightin', great physical aliens, really nice immediate feeling fights. A solid film and in my view a very strong start to what should be a fun new trilogy.
Quote from: Grugz on 23 December, 2015, 05:44:33 PM
Quote from: James Stacey on 23 December, 2015, 01:22:19 PM
You know that bit where [spoiler]they hide Luke from his father by leaving him with his uncle and not even changing his name![/spoiler] or [spoiler]when the death star apparently travels to the secret rebel base, I assume across space, but then has to take 10 mins to get around a planet to blow up the base (rather than just killing the planet too), thus giving the rebels time to organize a counter attack[/spoiler]. I just can't get past them ;)
and the bit were han and luke could fit all their normal clothes including boots beneath the stormtrooper armour
Good job there on completely misunderstanding what a plot hole is.
"P'yam pew!"
"Bagsie be Rey",
"no you're Kylo Ren and I've shot you!"
And this classic:
"Pretend this couch is the Millenium Falcon"
Is it too soon to talk of what the Blu-ray might hold?
For those who haven't seen the film yet, don't click on the link - http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-the-force-awkens-deleted-scenes/
Looks interesting, thanks - explains why that shot [spoiler]prior to the senate got wiped out seemed to focus on a particular character[/spoiler]
I was thinking as a after thought that spoiler]Hans death almost mirrored by Obi-Wan's (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kpHK4YIwY4) death scene while other were looking on.
Although to their credit, they had less time to intervene and it was spent to help them get off the [g]Death Star safely.[/spoiler]
Still worth noting, I think.
Sorry about that error above, maybe Mod could fix that. I would have done so myself, but there was no time!
Quote from: Spikes on 30 December, 2015, 04:22:17 PM
Is it too soon to talk of what the Blu-ray might hold?
For those who haven't seen the film yet, don't click on the link - http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-the-force-awkens-deleted-scenes/
Wondered why I never saw
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial-Cop....
(http://i1.wp.com/bitcast-a-sm.bitgravity.com/slashfilm/wp/wp-content/images/constable-zuvio_2814b373-700x350.jpeg?resize=700%2C350%5B/center%5D)
Well, finally got round to seeing A New Hope Force Awakens and I have to say It was better than I'd been expecting. I think that Jim was bang to rights a few pages back when he said it was aimed at kids, but as has been noted elsewhere with a few nods to all us aging fan boys. My 10 year old daughter absolutely loved it. She was buzzing coming out of the cinema and all I could think about was the same sensation walking out of the Watford Odeon some 30 odd years ago (a long time ago in a county far away). She is gutted that we have to wait another couple of years to find out what is going to happen next. I have to admit to looking forward to seeing the next instalment now too. Surely this is what it's all about.
Quote from: Tjm86 on 30 December, 2015, 06:43:55 PM
I have to admit to looking forward to seeing the next instalment now too. Surely this is what it's all about.
Absolutely.
Slightly off topic, but caught this over on FB...
(http://i.imgur.com/70kTvBh.jpg)
Quote from: Tjm86 on 30 December, 2015, 06:43:55 PM
I think that Jim was bang to rights a few pages back when he said it was aimed at kids
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that 'for the kids' is a get out of jail free card for sloppy plotting or any of the various things I thought were wrong with TFA.
But, our parents (mostly!) didn't come out of the cinema and regale us with everything they thought was wrong with the original Star Wars, telling us how it was clearly a rip-off of Kurosawa and blahblahblah... if the kids are loving it — and it seems that they are — then we should bloody well let them!
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 30 December, 2015, 07:59:19 PMif the kids are loving it — and it seems that they are — then we should bloody well let them!
IIRC, that defence didn't fly for the prequels. The best defence to mount for TFA, as far as I can tell, is to declare that it isn't made by George Lucas and thus is automatically good, and that any nitpicks about plot holes is just nerds crying because that's all they ever do.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 30 December, 2015, 08:06:42 PM
IIRC, that defence didn't fly for the prequels.
Yes, but that's not my defence, is it?
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 30 December, 2015, 08:06:42 PM
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 30 December, 2015, 07:59:19 PMif the kids are loving it — and it seems that they are — then we should bloody well let them!
IIRC, that defence didn't fly for the prequels. The best defence to mount for TFA, as far as I can tell, is to declare that it isn't made by George Lucas and thus is automatically good, and that any nitpicks about plot holes is just nerds crying because that's all they ever do.
It's terrible thing to say about the creator, even he made those not so good prequels as well.
You know, he might have made these films with the original cast back when he did the prequels and
those prequels now or within the last year.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1neRSCsfJ_0/UV8-XVkbvRI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/gi1r3OBywxY/s1600/homer.jpg)
Quote from: Jim_Campbell on 30 December, 2015, 07:59:19 PM
Just to be clear, I'm not saying that 'for the kids' is a get out of jail free card for sloppy plotting or any of the various things I thought were wrong with TFA.
Sorry if I gave the impression that that was your point. There area lot of things that you could say 'Why?' to in terms of what was going on. My big thing was that it does seem to have recaptured that buzz that we all had back in the day. Seeing that with my daughter ....
Ultimately Star Wars has always been brain candy. I would say that it is a spectacle and that is why it works so well but it clearly failed with the prequel trilogy.
(BTW Spikes, love that Lenny pic!)
Quote from: Tjm86 on 30 December, 2015, 09:26:40 PM
Sorry if I gave the impression that that was your point.
Apologies not necessary -- it was a bit unfair to tack my comment onto your post. I was conscious that some ursine pedant might take me to task unless I clarified what I was saying. Turns out I needn't have worried...
Cheers
Jim
Hey, Jim, that shadow of yours is looking at your lass.
Quote from: Tjm86 on 30 December, 2015, 06:43:55 PM
Well, finally got round to seeing A New Hope Force Awakens and I have to say It was better than I'd been expecting. I think that Jim was bang to rights a few pages back when he said it was aimed at kids, but as has been noted elsewhere with a few nods to all us aging fan boys. My 10 year old daughter absolutely loved it. She was buzzing coming out of the cinema and all I could think about was the same sensation walking out of the Watford Odeon some 30 odd years ago (a long time ago in a county far away). She is gutted that we have to wait another couple of years to find out what is going to happen next. I have to admit to looking forward to seeing the next instalment now too. Surely this is what it's all about.
Year and a half until the next Episode, but only about a year until the next Star Wars film, Rogue One, set to be released in mid-December 2016.
Glad 'the yoof' are enjoying Star Wars as much as we did (which county are you now in?)
I really enjoyed it.
Only complaints are lack of anything but x-wings in the Resistance fleet and a pretty boring superweapon (and a completely toothless scene of destruction in comparison to Alderaan). Oh and a slightly too-quick bit of levelling up for one character.
Still! So much fun. Great cast, great characters, great style.
Finally got round to seeing it last night. Yeah; I really enjoyed it; up there with the originals. Great cast (Rey and Finn are a revelation and will surely be the Harrison Fords of Episode 7. Er, apart from Harrison Ford).
I really wasn't expecting [spoiler]Han to die[spoiler][spoiler][/spoiler][/spoiler][/spoiler], I must admit; it was fairly devastating considering [spoiler]I expected him to grow old(er) disgracefully[/spoiler] as the new batch of films progressed.
Kylo Ren made a good villain, with the tragedy of his background obviously the new of the Darth Vader scenario; though he could have done with a more sinister-sounding name - even the prequels played a blinder on that score with the likes of General Grievous and Darth Maul.
Not quite sure about the [spoiler]Death Star rerun[/spoiler] scenario; but it made for very spectacular viewing.
Domhnall Gleeson was outstanding as Ginger Hitler; his speech at the stormtrooper rally was both sublime and terrifying. Last time I saw him was as a quirky nutcase in a play with his father and brother; you wouldn't recognise him.
Might go and see it again. The only times I've ever done that at the same showing was with Gravity and that one about the future cop and his rookie in the drug bust, whatever it was called again.
I'm betting Kylo Ren will get a 'Darth' somewhere down the line.
Quote from: sheridan on 31 December, 2015, 08:32:21 AM
Year and a half until the next Episode, but only about a year until the next Star Wars film, Rogue One, set to be released in mid-December 2016.
I'm in two minds about Rogue One. My big concern is that they overdo it. I backed off the old novels and Dark Horse stuff because there was just too much. I will reserve judgement as some of the stuff that I have seen looks promising.
Quote from: sheridan on 31 December, 2015, 08:32:21 AM
which county are you now in?
Rhondda Cynon Taff, so a complete world away from Middlesex.
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 31 December, 2015, 11:08:54 AM
I'm betting Kylo Ren will get a 'Darth' somewhere down the line.
Yep, I think you're probably right. Wonder what nasty-sounding name they'll come up with? Darth Slaughter? Darth Bone? Darth Farage? Darth Spoiler? Darth Trump? Darth Coldplay?
... Or an instruction given to an unemployed Welshman.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 31 December, 2015, 09:49:59 AM
Domhnall Gleeson was outstanding as Ginger Hitler.
I want this to be the quote on the back of the DVD
Hux. Yeah, after seeing the movie a second time he's another aspect of the new series i'm eager to see. At first I thought he was just going to be another Grand Moff Tarkin but he's something all together more insidious.
Biggest new Star Wars moaner appears:
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/31/george-lucas-attacks-retro-star-wars-the-force-awakens (http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/dec/31/george-lucas-attacks-retro-star-wars-the-force-awakens)
(https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/76326f2ddf342672c9314684623960da70da410a/0_775_2373_1423/master/2373.jpg?w=620&q=85&auto=format&sharp=10&s=5cdf4df86a57a2a03458510ae3241a3e)
"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that," he said. "They weren't that keen to have me involved anyway, but if I get in there, I'm just going to cause trouble, because they're not going to do what I want them to do. And I don't have the control to do that any more, and all I would do is muck everything up. And so I said, 'OK, I will go my way, and I'll let them go their way.'"
what's he whinging about? he didn't have to sell it to mouse vader for $4bn if he was that concerned over control why didn't he just make the sequels hisself?
Quote from: Grugz on 31 December, 2015, 12:32:46 PM
why didn't he just make the sequels hisself?
Because they'd have sucked ass.
A retro movie?
George Lucas... does not understand his own work. So weird.
What does he think is the appeal of Indy? Of dogfights and sword duels in spaaaace? Even in the 70s, it was mining deeply 'retro' tendencies - Flash Gordon, pulp SF, WWII aces, Tolkienesque dark empire vs band of heroes...
And talking of George, now that The Force Awakens is out, it would be interesting to read his story outlines for these new films.
I don't expect they are floating around the net anywhere?
And I may have chance to see TFA again in a few days time. Might go for the 3D this time. Is it recommended?
It's OK - a few shots have exaggerated the 3D effect and tend to look more like miniatures.
I like this idea that the guy who made Star Wars a cultural phenomenon on three separate occasions across four different decades (OT, Special Editions, Prequel Trilogy) doesn't know how to make Star Wars movies that people want to go and see in the cinema.
I especially like how science fiction fans are lambasting him for suggesting they deserve something new rather than reheated leftovers. He is saying that they deserve something other than a knock-off of Star Wars and they are calling bullshit - it's all quite bizarre now.
Not so much if you are familiar with Baudrillard.
Quote from: Ghost MacRoth on 29 December, 2015, 02:04:27 PM
Have only seen it the once thus far myself, so will accept any correction should I have missed a line or two someplace.
I've only seen the idea that all the First Order troops were on Starkiller base in this thread...
Seem's unlikely. Snoke orders Hux to retrun to him with Kylo Ren so presumably the First Order has a few other HQ's smattered about.
Plu the Star Destroyer survived, their where troops aboard that.
Other than the prequels being 'Star Wars', I don't think anyone would have been that bothered to see them in the cinema. I certainly don't think they generated a cultural phenomon in and of themselves. 15 year old me thought Attack of the Clones was a bit rubbish. 17 year old me was actively bored during RotS.
13 year old me did really enjoy Episode 1 the first time, to be fair. A few months later when it came out in the UK after my holiday, I did actually get really bored until the very end. Which amazed me. And I also felt like I had to LOVE it or I'd be really disappointing my parents, who'd got me every toy and book and so on for years...
George Lucas made a cultural phenomenon on one occasion (well I'll throw Indy in there too, because it's simply brilliant) and ever since it's been the same ride. Stretching it to say the special editions count as something different - now that is the definition of 'reheated leftovers'. Particularly when I just rewatched them and found nearly every tweak to be irritating and unconvincing. But I think the vitriol of the lashing back at him is ridiculous. George Lucas made Star Wars! Stop laying into him everyone. He's great no matter what we feel about the special editions or even the prequels, where every bit of subtlety in the OT is undermined and contradicted explicity. It doesn't matter, he made Star Wars!
But his criticisms here are a bit empty. It's not a 'knock off', it's Star Wars. It worked.
I suppose it would be like if Frank Miller criticised Grant Morrison for his recent DC work - it would be hard to take seriously in light of Miller's own recent stuff, despite his being a groundbreaking creator in his younger days.
Though to be fair to Lucas, the prequels were merely a bit lacklustre as opposed to stupid, nasty and racist.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 31 December, 2015, 09:49:59 AM
Domhnall Gleeson was outstanding as Ginger Hitler; his speech at the stormtrooper rally was both sublime and terrifying. Last time I saw him was as a quirky nutcase in a play with his father and brother; you wouldn't recognise him.
Might go and see it again. The only times I've ever done that at the same showing was with Gravity and that one about the future cop and his rookie in the drug bust, whatever it was called again.
I saw that! Think it had that chap who played the Hitler-esque character from The Force Awakens...
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 31 December, 2015, 02:43:11 PM
I like this idea that the guy who made Star Wars a cultural phenomenon on three separate occasions across four different decades (OT, Special Editions, Prequel Trilogy) doesn't know how to make Star Wars movies that people want to go and see in the cinema.
I especially like how science fiction fans are lambasting him for suggesting they deserve something new rather than reheated leftovers. He is saying that they deserve something other than a knock-off of Star Wars and they are calling bullshit - it's all quite bizarre now.
Are you familiar with the Death of the Author (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_the_Author)?
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 31 December, 2015, 03:32:09 PM
Other than the prequels being 'Star Wars', I don't think anyone would have been that bothered to see them in the cinema. I certainly don't think they generated a cultural phenomon in and of themselves.
The idea that fandom alone can sustain a popular franchise is a hard sell in a world where they just reinvented Star Trek and James Bond for people other than their hardcore fans. A generation grew up with the Prequels as "their" Star Wars, and much as the initial buzz for Phantom Menace was pretty good, I think we'll start to see more abrasive opinions about TFA's many flaws as time goes on, especially from the aforementioned generation who've pretty much had "their" Star Wars shat upon and dismissed.
I don't see anything unfair with what Lucas said. He was asked a question in a sit-down interview and he answered it - Disney didn't want the stories he developed and he didn't want another trilogy that looked liked the old films so he stepped away from any involvement to let Disney get on with it their way and he'd get on with his life.
"They wanted to do a retro movie. I don't like that. Every movie I work very hard to make them completely different, with different planets, with different spaceships, make it new,"
Watching the interview in full, Lucas seems like a man who took the sensible option and is at peace with it.
http://collider.com/star-wars-the-force-awakens-george-lucas-interview/
Thought that was a great interview, and Lucas came across very well as a man who made a very sensible decision. There'd be no Star Wars without Lucas, his unique achievements underpin every frame of TFA, although for my money it lacks something without his particular vision.
Even leaving that aside, his Prequels and their spinoffs have sustained the franchise for 15 years - they found a substantial new audience, even if it wasn't always us lot. I think people forget that SW was dead in the water in the late 80s and early '90s, excepting a few diehard nerds and their games and novels. His willingness to experiment and do something different was very evident with TPM, and it is a vastly more original project than TFA, which seems to take its current reputation as a cautionary tale.
Did anybody catch Finn's last name?
He didn't have one.
(http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/8/85/Lando6-2.png/revision/latest?cb=20130421202416)
It's only a inter-rumour though!
I doubt it myself...it's not like
Finn is the same old charmer.
I know you're only commenting on a ubiquitous online rumour TS, but has anyone that gives it a second's credence looked at the two men? They don't even vaguely resemble each other, and even from the crude perspective of race their families have very different histories.
Then consider the care taken with actual familial resemblances in TFA - [spoiler]Adam Driver has a hauntingly Harrison Ford-like profile, while Daisy Ridley looks more than a little like presumed screen-grandmother Natalie Portman[/spoiler]. Boyega and Williams... Not at all.
Incidentally, Finn [spoiler]has neither last name nor first name - FN is the start of his serial number, 'Finn' is a nickname Poe gives him in response.[/spoiler]
Under the same idiotic thinking - one black character in the series MUST be related to one of the other few significant black characters in the series - Mace Windu must be Lando's father.
To be honest I'm not even convinced that Rae is a relative of anyone we know, let alone Finn!
I have a feeling it'll turn out that Rae is actually the person the old Jedi prophecy was about and that the whole thing with Annakin was a huge mis-step.
Yeah I think Rey being a Skywalker is a bit obvious really. [spoiler]People are saying Kenobi's "great-grandaughter" (perhaps a result of his canon fling with the Mandalorian Satine during the Clone Wars although that seems super unlikely as she died)[/spoiler] although personally I think she's the offspring of [spoiler]whoever is behind the big hologram "Snoke"[/spoiler].
Hmmm
I rather hope she just stay's as some random country bumpkin who just so happens to be the chosen one. It's unlikely, mind you.
Maybe she's the love child of Obi Wan and Padme.
Better use spoilers over the whole thing just in case!
[spoiler]I just thought him being the son of Lando was a interesting idea and it wasn't my own. I put the suggestion of it up there not fully agreeing with it myself. I just thought it was worth considering.
I understand the racial resemblance is only minimal. The actor[/b] who was Lando seems more Latin, while Finn just looks Afro-American. Just the way they look to me, even though I might be wrong about that as well. I think it still might possible is Lando had slept with a Afro-American women who.
The name Finn Calrission lacks the familiar phonetics of most of the other names used in the films and it did slip my mind that was what he was called by the pilot he rescued. I think I need to see this film another few times to let it sink in.
The fact, it's just too much of a coincidence. yeah, But I was never in the line of thinking that all characters that share the same skin tone are from the same family. Preposterous!!!
It wasn't my idea, as I was saying.
Also...that he actually meets up with Han. I think Lando might have been upset that Finn] took a mortal wound if Han didn't actually get killed before hand.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tjm86 on 01 January, 2016, 02:57:51 PM
Maybe she's the love child of Obi Wan and Padme.
Always imagined he did something like that or that
Luke & Leia are actually his. Which kind of shed light on the mounting animosity between
Annikan and
Obi-Wan in
Revenge of the Sith.
I also have strong hunch that a lot of the first of the clone troopers were from him as well.
[spoiler]I'm happy with Rey just being a potential - then actual - powerful Jedi, without the 'chosen one' stuff. The first of the new Jedi and the one to get Luke's academy back on track.
I saw the film a couple of days ago, and I hope to see it again soon. Hopefully today or tomorrow with a friend this time.
I liked it a lot. They did overdo it with the coincidences, I feel. I don't mind a bit of that since the Force allows for that (and its not the first time this has happened in these films) but it was too much.
But, it was very good.
I wasn't over keen on the fact Rey beat Ren in the lightsaber duel, since he was the one with most experience (albeit not nearly as much as the old Jedi), but I was reminded elsewhere that she had transferrable skills using her staff. Couple that with her quieting her mind and having faith in the Force, and the fact Ren was wounded, and I buy it now.
As for Kylo Ren himself, he was an interesting character. I disliked the stupid lightsaber tantrums but the idea of a dark side character resisting his light tendencies was interesting.
I wondered why he did not have a sith name, but I did not pick up on the Knights of Ren stuff despite it actually being mentioned in the film. (So are they another faction of dark side Force users?)
While Ren seems less powerful than other characters in some ways, in others he displayed a lot more power. Actually stopping a blaster bolt in mid air, (I've never seen that before) and he seemed to have a telepathic ability beyond even that of Vader. Or at least we never saw Vader use it. (Vader exchanged telepathic messages with Luke in Empire... but he never actually read prisoners minds, that I can remember. I wonder if he lacked the empathy of Kylo Ren.)
Finn and Rey were great characters. And while I groaned when I saw footage of BB-8 in the trailers (ugh another cute annoying character) he was actually delightful on screen. I'm even contemplating getting one of those sphero things.
I liked that little twist, that it was the character who isn't force sensitive (or is he? Ren seems sensitive to him at the start.) used the lightsaber most. At least before the final big battle.
Another thing I wasn't looking forward to - yet another death star. But... I actually liked the way they dealt with it although they should have made the devastation it caused with it's first shot clearer. It seemed a bit brushed over.
And Han's death, I confess I wasn't surprised. Partly because I read that Harrison Fjord wanted him killed off. While I'd have liked him to stick around, I liked the way his death was dealt with.
Not a perfect film. But a very promising start.
Please, let there be new ship designs in future films, though.[/spoiler]
QuoteFinn and Rey
When you put it like that; it's a familiar sounding partnership. ;)
Quote from: Tordelback on 01 January, 2016, 08:25:13 AM
Then consider the care taken with actual familial resemblances in TFA - [spoiler]Adam Driver has a hauntingly Harrison Ford-like profile, while Daisy Ridley looks more than a little like presumed screen-grandmother Natalie Portman[/spoiler]. Boyega and Williams... Not at all.
Refuting another online rumour - he doesn't look anything like [spoiler]Mace Windu/Samuel L Jackson[/spoiler] either.
Quote from: Tordelback on 31 December, 2015, 09:03:30 PMI think people forget that SW was dead in the water in the late 80s and early '90s, excepting a few diehard nerds and their games and novels.
Forget? I can't say I noticed it being dead in the water, from all the pop cultural references that have appeared ceaselessly over the past three decades...
Quote from: JamesC on 01 January, 2016, 01:21:07 PMI have a feeling it'll turn out that Rae is actually the person the old Jedi prophecy was about and that the whole thing with Annakin was a huge mis-step.
I don't like the prophecy thing anyway (and where was it supposed to have come from?), but I did like the theory that the prophecy was fulfilled at the end of
Revenge of the Sith, where the thousands of Jedi was reduced to two, matching the number of Sith in the galaxy.
Quote from: Mardroid on 01 January, 2016, 03:36:45 PM[spoiler]I liked it a lot. They did overdo it with the coincidences, I feel. I don't mind a bit of that since the Force allows for that (and its not the first time this has happened in these films) but it was too much.[/spoiler]
It's not something I like, though it is matching with the beginning of A New Hope.
Quote[spoiler]As for Kylo Ren himself, he was an interesting character. I disliked the stupid lightsaber tantrums but the idea of a dark side character resisting his light tendencies was interesting.[/spoiler]
Well, anger does lead to the dark side...
Quote[spoiler]And while I groaned when I saw footage of BB-8 in the trailers (ugh another cute annoying character) he was actually delightful on screen. I'm even contemplating getting one of those sphero things.[/spoiler]
In the initial trailers I thought BB-8 was the only weak point, but the little droid has really grown on me (I was contemplating buying one, but the only ones I saw were inflatable - we have a cat - it wouldn't work).
Quote[spoiler]Please, let there be new ship designs in future films, though.[/spoiler]
I vote for updated TIE Interceptors (or entirely new ships).
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 31 December, 2015, 03:55:35 PM
Though to be fair to Lucas, the prequels were merely a bit lacklustre as opposed to stupid, nasty and racist.
Okay, it's not nasty, but The Phantom Menace is both pretty stupid and pretty racist (Gungans, Trade Federation, Watto).
Quote from: Jimmy Baker's Assistant on 01 January, 2016, 05:16:45 PM
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 31 December, 2015, 03:55:35 PM
Though to be fair to Lucas, the prequels were merely a bit lacklustre as opposed to stupid, nasty and racist.
Okay, it's not nasty, but The Phantom Menace is both pretty stupid and pretty racist (Gungans, Trade Federation, Watto).
I get the allegations against Gungans and Trade Federation, but which racial stereotype does Watto match? Jewish moneylender? Shylock? That would be strange coming from Lucas.
Quote from: sheridan on 01 January, 2016, 05:07:39 PM
I can't say I noticed it being dead in the water, from all the pop cultural references that have appeared ceaselessly over the past three decades...
Yes, but as a done deal, something in the past. Between the release of Return of the Jedi in '83 and the Thrawn trilogy in '91/93 the only SW novels were the three Lando ones, and they were in 1983 too - 8 year with not one new book. Marvel Star Wars finished up in 1986, lacklustre Ewoks and Droids comics in 1987. Dark Horse started off again with Dark Empire in '91/'92. No SW comics for 4 years, and very little of interest since 1985. The last Kenner SW figure was made in 1985, the first Hasbro one in 1995.
On the computer games front, Star Wars X-Wing didn't come out until '93, 10 years afer RotJ.. The only significant material being produced in the late '80s was West End Games RPG, which while excellent was hardly popular outside of deepest nerd-dom. And it took a while for the momentum created by the success of Thrawn/Dark Empire to spread, with Tom Veitch's comics and the Shadows of the Empire project in '96 - I'd argue SW didn't return to an ongoing mainstream appeal until Lucas' rightly maligned Special Editions in 1997.
For almost a decade after Return of the Jedi, Droids and Ewoks there was effectively no new Star Wars content, and certainly nothing that could be considered mainstream. It existed as nostalgia, nothing more. It took Lucas' re-engagement to make SW an ongoing profitable concern again, and it hasn't faltered since.
Yeah, pop cultural refs or not, SW was dead in the water from the mid 80s to the early 90s, with only the hardcore toy collectors interested in new figure lines etc. Even Lucas was moving on to other things, and it was the surprise success of the stuff like the Timothy Zahn novels that began the stirrings of signs of life that would lead to the prequels starting in 99.
Interesting to note that - the Indy films aside - Spielberg's tentpole movie career goes quiet over the same period, with darker and more adult genre fare like the work of James Cameron taking its place. It's only with Jurassic Park - coming out just when SW is stirring back to life - that he makes his comeback to the popcorn blockbuster mainstream.
Quote from: sheridan on 01 January, 2016, 05:35:52 PM
I get the allegations against Gungans and Trade Federation, but which racial stereotype does Watto match? Jewish moneylender? Shylock*? That would be strange coming from Lucas
Nobody imagines Lucas is fuelled by
racial hatred. Like Wagner and Grant, Lucas used the archetypes and idioms of the fiction he enjoyed in the fifties as storytelling shortcuts. Inscrutable characters substituting Ls and Rs are the same kind of narrative economy as dressing Han as a cowboy and the Empire as Nazis. Like droids, nobody worries about offending cowboys ...
Star Wars hasn't been a mainstay of
popular culture for "the last 3 decades". When Bill and Ted had a sword fight (1989), and Bill hid his hand up his sleeve and wailed "you're not my father", I just about prolapsed at the obscurity and novelty of the reference. It wasn't until 1994's Clerks that Star Wars
started to become a socially acceptable topic of conversation for Gen-X hipsters.
That went
mainstream in 1997, when Jennifer Aniston famously paired a gold bikini with an anachronistic Danish pastry hairdo **. Prior to that, kids were obsessed with the Turtles and Jurassic Park; Back To The Future and Batman were the big, mainstream franchises; and Star
Trek (film and TV) was the consuming obsession for nerds (Aliens and Terminator too). Star Wars was
over.
* Fagin too, considering Watto's peremptory relationship to Anikin and his mother
** The Simpsons did a good gag about James Earl Jones providing the voices of Vader, Mufasa, and CNN too
Quote from: Tordelback on 01 January, 2016, 05:48:42 PM
Quote from: sheridan on 01 January, 2016, 05:07:39 PM
I can't say I noticed it being dead in the water, from all the pop cultural references that have appeared ceaselessly over the past three decades...
Yes, but as a done deal, something in the past. Between the release of Return of the Jedi in '83 and the Thrawn trilogy in '91/93 the only SW novels were the three Lando ones, and they were in 1983 too - 8 year with not one new book. Marvel Star Wars finished up in 1986, lacklustre Ewoks and Droids comics in 1987. Dark Horse started off again with Dark Empire in '91/'92. No SW comics for 4 years, and very little of interest since 1985. The last Kenner SW figure was made in 1985, the first Hasbro one in 1995.
On the computer games front, Star Wars X-Wing didn't come out until '93, 10 years afer RotJ.. The only significant material being produced in the late '80s was West End Games RPG, which while excellent was hardly popular outside of deepest nerd-dom. And it took a while for the momentum created by the success of Thrawn/Dark Empire to spread, with Tom Veitch's comics and the Shadows of the Empire project in '96 - I'd argue SW didn't return to an ongoing mainstream appeal until Lucas' rightly maligned Special Editions in 1997.
Wasn't it the
West-End-Star-Wars game that got retracted because it was unauthorised. I've trying to look this up but can't uncover anything in the immediate internet. I'm I read or heard about this somewhere.
I have one of those source books for entire trilogy complied into one volume. I thought this was pretty neat since this was before any of the prequels.
Only 509 days of this twaddle left.
Quote from: W. R. Logan on 01 January, 2016, 09:23:25 PM
Only 509 days of this twaddle left.
I think you overestimate their chances.
TS, I think WEG just went under in the end, rather unfortunately just before the SEs came out. Their material formed the basis for large parts of the Old EU, and was used as names for races, characters and planets which have subsequently appeared in the New Canon - so I doubt they ever fell too far out of favour with LFL.
Oh right, so it's just discontinued....Thought I lost that book as well. Until found it underneath a pile of comics I kept in the games cabinent. Thought it was special because of it's rarity. I wouldn't trying selling it though.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 01 January, 2016, 10:40:02 PM
Oh right, so it's just discontinued....Thought I lost that book as well. Until found it underneath a pile of comics I kept in the games cabinent. Thought it was special because of it's rarity. I wouldn't trying selling it though.
It's a nice book for a great game, although some of the summaries are a bit longwinded- I have the contents in the old individual Galaxy Guides, but I always fancied the compendium with the revised edition stats.
Odd I thought X-Wing pc game was earlier than '93.
I always carried the torch as did a lot of the family - Dark Forces fps seemed to generate a lot of interest - that was '95 I think. And Shadows of Empire - the self proclaimed multi media event (was it '97) with comics, novelisation, sound track and curate's egg of a Nintendo 64 game was surely a bit of a testing toe being dipped in the water for bigger things?
Don't mean to imply that the love or interest went away for many of us, but no-one was making money out of it, and there was little fresh content. For myself the dark times were all about SW roleplaying - WEG were fantastic at creating the feel of daring Rebel missions in the run up to ANH. You're right Tips to single out Dark Forces - that really was a moment. And yeah, SotE was the big toe in the water ('96, I think, but they must have been working on it for a few years), with action figures back in the shops in '95 after a 10 year absence.
After coming our of TFA buzzing about Star Wars again we've been rewatching the series over the holidays and yesterday got to Revenge of The Sith and have to confess totally loved it. Phantom Menace is still a messy shambles (with one fantastic sequence where it gets it very right - the Darth Maul fight) and you have to struggle to overlook the terrible green screen effects and enjoy Attack of The Clones (although I did find the last chunk pretty exciting with the arena fight and the Clones and the whole Jedi council jumping into the fight, plus Dooku is great - there's a lot to like there).
Revenge of The Sith though, I enjoyed that wholeheartedly and almost without reservation. It's got a ton of great sequences and really feels like a Star Wars movie done right to me. Hadn't seen it since its release and all the negativity around the prequels had warped my memory of it a bit (me and my brother walked out of it at the time really happy with it if I remember correctly), so it was a real eye opener to go back to it and realize it's actually one of my favourite SW movies (probably sits around 3rd or 4th on my list). There are some clunky moments but overall it holds up great.
Made me wonder if people genuinely hate episode III or if it just gets swept up in the prequel negativity and dismissed out of hand?
Episode III has a great deal to love about it, esspecially after marathoning the 2003 cartoon, and seeing just how important it is to the Clone Wars lexicon.
Hell, General Grievous is made a thousand fold more interesting an antagonist in 3 episodes and half a movie than Ani Skywalker was made out to be in 3 whole movies.
I liked RoTS.
[spoiler]I felt that Anakin went too far too soon though when he turned to the dark side, although I thought the method Sidious used to persuade him was clever.
The main issue I have with the film is what they did with Padme. She died in a ridiculous way when she needn't have died at all when you take Leia's memories of her mother into account.
It would not negate Anakin's prophetic visions of her death either as she would still die between the trilogies, possibly by assassination.[/spoiler]
But I really did find lots to like in the prequels. I largely liked the stories. If was the wooden acting and poor dialogue delivery that let them down. The original trilogy and TFA have some cheesy acting and some poor transitional dialogue, but you get the impression the actors are into their roles. Those films have HEART.
Revenge.. did get a bit of that back, to be fair. I wasn't keen on Hayden's Vader but he did improve a lot in that last film.
I can't stand RotS. While I'll acknowledge that there are many good set pieces and dramatic visuals, and a lot of it works better than I remembered, the woefully bad ending just ruins it for me: just pathetic, and Lucas' only unforgivable crime (IMO). As a result it is my least favorite SW movie, despite being one of the most technically accomplished.
RotS is rubbish because Yoda suffers a setback at the end and then runs away and hides for decades like a coward (until someone Force-sensitive comes seeking him out looking to become a Jedi just because they've come across a lightsaber in their travels). What an utterly stupid course of action for the character that had been established over the years. I'm glad the sequel trilogy will learn the mistakes of the prequels and give us something better ETC ETC.
I've rewatched TPM and AotC in the last few days, and I have to say that my appreciation of TPM grows with each viewing. I especially like the fact that it has such a grand sense of scale compared to TFA, which in retrospect just feels like a few skirmishes. It also does a much better job of balancing callbacks to the OT with the demands of being its own film - and it is its own film - so it isn't such a slave to the past. Also the pod race sequence... didn't like it at the time, as I didn't think Star Wars needed the addition of NASCAR, but then I didn't think Star Wars needed a fight between Obi-Wan and Boba Fett in a planet-sized thunderstorm, either, and I was wrong about that, too.
Haven't got around to RotS yet as I'm debating starting a marathon viewing of the uneven and frustrating Clone Wars tv series first, but I do recall loving some of the throwdowns, and that Padme just pops her clogs for no reason so she's totes for-reals died of a broken heart, which I think is a ballsy turn, really, as she could have lived on (for example) as Mrs Organa, entirely offscreen, and then died with Bail on Alderaan in ANH, but nope: broken heart. on the surface, it's a shit end for even such a maligned character, but on the other hand, the way no-one can explain it with The Science just underscores what an in-universe rationalisation by the dogmatic bureaucrats that dominated the Jedi order the whole Midiclorian thing was, and that the true nature and extent of The Force remains unknown. Capricious, it is.
Good man, Bear (good bear, man?). I'll overlook your otherwise bizarre viewing habits and take your endorsement of TPM as not completely terrible as proof that its greatness will one day be widely acknowledged. Join us Butch, and together we can end this destructive conflict.
Just heading out to TFA for a too-long delayed second viewing, expect copious witterings on my return!
I hoped to see it again today, this time with a friend, but looks like plans have changed. That's okay, she's still up for seeing it next week.
My favourite character in Force Awakens is TR-8R.
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/056/019/5f0.gif)
I absolutely love how fan reaction dictated his name, it's also probably one of the few meme's i've ever laughed at.
Quote from: Goaty on 02 January, 2016, 05:21:22 PM
My favourite character in Force Awakens is TR-8R.
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/001/056/019/5f0.gif)
Here's a interesting article about book called Before the Awakening[/b] (http://www.polygon.com/2015/12/30/10690288/the-canonical-story-behind-tr-8r-the-internets-new-favorite%20%5Bb) or words to that effect.
[spoiler]I had another revelation last night while watching the some previously either unseen footage or un-remembered footage of as completely CGI
Hell-Boy talking to his foster father while sitting on his bed watching television. My
Driza-A-Bone looks just like the long coat he wears when he's
Ron Perlman. I thought it was odd that6 they did it this way . Even though they did the same thing when they discovered him in the first film.
Yes, I was watching the sequel or at least the beginning of it before going to bed for a few hours. It was way to hot to see the rest of the film in and it was being recorded anyway.
Before carried away with stuff about
Nuada and his dad
Balor......[spoiler]
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VSDqDOLupNc/maxresdefault.jpg)
[spoiler]
You see what I'm getting at.....
He's got some fake red-arm, but it's more fore-arm and it's his right one.[/spoiler]
(http://images.techtimes.com/data/images/full/133378/r2-d2-and-c-3po-in-star-wars-the-force-awakens.jpg?w=600)
[spoiler]
Just making a comparison there. Is the Droid a Demon as well?
Most probably not, but there must be some story behind the red armed Protocol-Droid.
Did they run out of gold paint or parts or are all the
C3 droids only red now.
I read
here (http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Star-Wars-Shows-Off-C-3PO-Red-Arm-Force-Awakens-Commercial-91607.html)[spoiler] and they probably have the right idea here. It's just I was so used to it getting blown to bits in (Which film was it?)
Empire Strikes Back and
Return of the Jedi and they mended it without sign of damage like it was made to come a part and fixed that way.
This time his arm must have been disintegrated and like it says in the article They were all out of gold arms at the time.
BTW, I just found out a new
Indiana Jones film is being planned, supposedly and so did my father and I almost let it slip what happened to
Han and wondered if
Indy was to go the same ay as well. Does that mean young
Jones will go bad and be the one to do that if it pans out that way. [/spoiler]
Like sex, TFA was SO much better the second time. Expectations managed, bigger and better screen, holes plugged by this forum and other sources, I was able to relax and look around - and I bloody loved it.
Reader, I cried.
All the same flaws from the first viewing are still there, but I enjoyed what was actually on the screen so much more. To coin a phras from this very thread, I was able to appreciate thevfilm they made, rather than the one in my head. Rey, Finn, Poe and Kylo really are magnificent achievements, and Ford and Fisher are absolutely magical. Counting the hours until my next viewing.
Quote from: Tordelback on 02 January, 2016, 12:06:35 PM
I can't stand RotS. While I'll acknowledge that there are many good set pieces and dramatic visuals, and a lot of it works better than I remembered, the woefully bad ending just ruins it for me: just pathetic, and Lucas' only unforgivable crime (IMO). As a result it is my least favorite SW movie, despite being one of the most technically accomplished.
I remember at the time thinking that it wasn't so bad; apart from Anakin's wooden acting and one-dimensional character - but that was a big mistake to make. When you're dealing with Darth fucking Vader; you really have to get him right - and they didn't.
(What also upset me quite a bit was when I re-watched RotJ on DVD and found out that they'd [spoiler][spoiler]added that silly young guy in place of the original helmetless Vader. [/spoiler][/spoiler] Bad George. No Episode 7 for you.)
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 02 January, 2016, 07:49:31 PMMost probably not, but there must be some story behind the red armed Protocol-Droid.
There is, but we won't find out what it is until Marvel publish the comic...
(http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/09/STWC3PO2015001_DC11.jpg)
This could be a false memory but ... I seem to remember there is a flash of letters and numbers when the yet-to-be-named Finn tells his designated serial number to Poe. Did this really happen? I can't remember ever seeing actual, Roman alphabet letters in Star Wars before.
Another thing struck me too. How did the Millennium Falcon get its name? Are there falcons in space too?
Neither of these things matter.
Finn was FN-2187
And the uncreditted Danial Craig cameo, where he played a Stormtrooper...
(http://i.imgur.com/CKUUBlu.jpg)
Yep Daniel Craig was Stormtrooper that got [spoiler]Jedi mind tricked[/spoiler]
[spoiler]JB-007[/spoiler]. That's arsom.
JBC, the Latin alphabet/Arabic numerals appeared all over the shop in the original version of ANH, but were 'fixed' in the Special Editions to their corresponding Arubesh symbols. I don't believe they appear in TFA.
Struck me today that the wonderfully realised Maz could plausibly appear in Rogue One, and more probably the Han Solo and putative Obi-Wan movies, a sort of secular Yoda figure that could provide a bit of connective tissue. Heaven knows I want to see more of her.
With regards to Star Wars relevance in the late 80s/early 90s. I was a 90s kid* and the big sci-fi franchise of my youth was not the *Wars, but the *Trek. I remember getting my first set of Star Trek micromachines. I also remember getting my first set of Star Wars micromachines. I was more excited about the Star Wars range because it was my first Star Wars toys. It's weird to think there wasn't an over abundance of SW merchandise.
*Is that culturally significant? I doubt it...
Quote from: Tordelback on 02 January, 2016, 10:49:24 PM
JBC, the Latin alphabet/Arabic numerals appeared all over the shop in the original version of ANH, but were 'fixed' in the Special Editions to their corresponding Arubesh symbols. I don't believe they appear in TFA.
Thanks! That was wrecking my head to a disproportionate degree.
Saw The Force Awakens a few days before Xmas. Yeah, ditto to many of the thoughts expressed round here but I enjoyed it so much I was able to put all the coincidences etc to the side. Must say, I did express an internal sigh [spoiler]when Han Solo and the others were looking for Rey. Han Solo raises eyebrows and points. Behind you! That was easy enough[/spoiler].
A great visual spectacle, great new characters. Yes, seemed like a rehash of IV in places. But as a press review summed up: "triumphant". I can go with that.
I haven't read much comment about whether people saw it in 3D. We did. I thought that worked really well. Not cardboard cut outs as was case with Avengers. There was a point when the [spoiler]Star Destroyer seemed as if it was hovering in front of the screen[/spoiler]. Amazing.
Saw it a brand spanking new cinema which added to the experience. Thanks Crouch End, we move out and you go and open two fine cinemas.
I had no expectations. I was nuts about Star Wars from when I first heard about it having seen clips on BBC's Film 77. Collected Star Wars Weekly, Topps cards. Gave up after the first prequel and haven't seen the other prequels. TBH I lost interest after ESB. That little Muppet in ROTJ didn't work for me!
Quote from: SuperSurfer on 03 January, 2016, 05:13:24 PMI haven't read much comment about whether people saw it in 3D. We did. I thought that worked really well.
I've seen it once in 3D, once in 2D (both times at Holloway).
QuoteSaw it a brand spanking new cinema which added to the experience. Thanks Crouch End, we move out and you go and open two fine cinemas.
Two cinemas in Crouch End now? Where do they find the space? I used to live around the corner from the rubbishy one in Muswell Hill (which appeared in a Doctor Who documentary about twenty or thirty years ago, and doesn't appear to have been painted, renovated or cleaned since, judging by reviews I read).
Quote from: SuperSurfer on 03 January, 2016, 05:13:24 PM
[/spoiler].
I haven't read much comment about whether people saw it in 3D. We did. I thought that worked really well. Not cardboard cut outs as was case with Avengers. There was a point when the [spoiler]Star Destroyer seemed as if it was hovering in front of the screen[/spoiler].
Love the standard opening scene with that ship looming so closely while small ships flew around from behind it hitting me in the face.....cause it was in 3D.
Quote from: sheridan on 04 January, 2016, 12:57:54 AM
...Two cinemas in Crouch End now? Where do they find the space? I used to live around the corner from the rubbishy one in Muswell Hill (which appeared in a Doctor Who documentary about twenty or thirty years ago, and doesn't appear to have been painted, renovated or cleaned since, judging by reviews I read).
Both are excellent. Worth checking them out.
Arthouse Crouch End (http://www.arthousecrouchend.co.uk/) won Time Out best London cinema 2014. I missed having that kind of cinema that shows independent films anywhere near me in London.
I saw FA in Crouch End Picturehouse (https://www.picturehouses.com/cinema/Crouch_End_Picturehouse). Pretty amazing modern interior, if that's your thing.
Strangely enough they are almost next door to each other (opposite the YMCA). Arthouse in the old Salvation Army building and Picturehouse in what was some tatty old block. I heard that both cinemas agreed to show complimentary films and not compete. And yet both are showing FA.
As for the Muswell Hill cinema, I do like that building. The first film I saw in a cinema was there. Think that might have been The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. Saw the rerelease of A New Hope in the 90s there. The sound back then was muffled. Pretty sure that has improved since then. I wouldn't write it off.
Went for a walk around town last night...actually as I started moving into another house yesterday. I went there for awhile. Which involves a walk into town and another walk into town if I want to go to the movies.
Now it's become really obvious now that the only reason Star Wars has survived long is because of huge success in the beginning and how the two other films still carried the ball and the how it was almost forgotten before the prequels were made.
Basically, I think people are and fans in particular are afraid to not admit it's definitely not what it was . It's lost the magic even though it's still spectacular to watch and improvement on the prequels. It's looks so messy on the inside.
[spoiler]Did anybody notice why Rey parked her hover bike at the bottle of the sand dune instead inside the sand logged Imperial Star Destroyer and wonder is he r parking it so far from the building where she handed overed her finds was a deterrent against thieves?
Her boss seemed more the slave as well. Standing in that tiny cell of building.....
Did anybody recall the conversation between Han and Leia at one stage. Can't recall the exact point in the story, but I sure it was when they returned to what ever hideout base of operations on the forest world after Maz's fortress/bar got bombed and this scene reminds (If I didn't already say so...) so much of the Slaine -Time-Killer Cythron attack on Myrddin's fortress with more of a Scifi-spin on it. I can just imagine the squadron of X-wings are like those dragons.)
I somehow go the impression that they talking about Luke like he was their son or the adopted son of Han (Seriously!)
And earlier scene where Kylo-Ren is by himself and the ruined mask of Darth-Vader revealed when he leaves after referring to him as grandfather.
Later on when he is about to stab Han, words are exchanged that indicate that he is his father.
all very confusing and messed up.
I think Finn is in a coma, not dead. Don't why know why though. He only got a flesh wound to his upper chest and shoulder. If my eyes are right.
[/spoiler]
I don't think I will be seeing again before it goes to cable.
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2016, 12:59:13 AM
I don't think I will be seeing again before it goes to cable.
Does that mean we won't be seeing any more posts about it until it's shown on cable?
Of course, I still have more to say about it.
Star Wars The Force Awakens Exclusive: Behind the Scenes with JJ Abrams in Ireland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjnGRTATRdg
"I think Finn is in a coma, not dead. Don't why know why though. He only got a flesh wound to his upper chest and shoulder. If my eyes are right."
He ain't dead - he's just pining for the fjords. When brought back to the base - you can hear a technician/orderly remark that they had found a heartbeat. And the fact that Rey speaks to Finn (in his comatose state) and tells him she is sure she'll see him again (or words to that effect).
Your eyes can deceive you - I'd imagine Finn sustained more than a 'flesh wound' to his back when Kylo took him out.
Quote from: W. R. Logan on 05 January, 2016, 02:37:43 AM
Quote from: ThryllSeekyr on 05 January, 2016, 12:59:13 AM
I don't think I will be seeing again before it goes to cable.
Does that mean we won't be seeing any more posts about it until it's shown on cable?
Your quest to avoid discussion of TFA does bring you to the strangest threads, Logan. ;)
As to Finn's [spoiler]injuries, burn to the shoulder aside he took a serious vertical slash to the back - it looked potentially fatal to me, but presumably his membership of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants (Jacket Division) was some help.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Krakajac on 05 January, 2016, 05:26:21 AM
And the fact that Rey speaks to Finn (in his comatose state) and tells him she is sure she'll see him again (or words to that effect).
Because, of course, no character in a movie has ever said pretty much that exact line to a character who was actually dead. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFVk5xVK7vs&ab_channel=JayMpersk)
FWIW, I don't think he's dead, either.
Cheers
Jim
He's in a hospital bed and a heart monitor is beeping steadily away in the background, he's alive!
Thryllseekyr, the confusing relationships are as follows: [spoiler]Han and Leia are discussing their son Ben in that scene, not Luke - because Ben Solo has fallen to the darkside and become Kylo Ren, and Han is reporting having seen him leaving the battle at Maz's castle. Vader is indeed Ben/Kylo's grandfather, through his mother Leia, Anakin's secret daughter. And Han is Kylo's father.[/spoiler]
Incidentally, while it may seem crazily naive, the warm way Leia welcomes [spoiler]Finn (definitely alive, BTW) to the fold is very interesting. It shows her complete trust in Poe Dameron's (and maybe Han's) judgement, and contrasts wonderfully with the tension and rivalry between Kylo and Hux, and the way the stormtroopers fear Kylo. Having faith in your friends is, after all, what gave the Rebels their victory at Endor, so it's only right that this open-handed trust is how Leia runs her Resistance organisation[/spoiler], in opposition to the fear and mistrust of the First Order.
[spoiler]Finn's a plant. Rylo Ken has Force blocked his mind in order to infiltrate the Resistance. Just wait.[/spoiler]
Quote from: von Boom on 05 January, 2016, 02:04:40 PM
[spoiler]Finn's a plant. Rylo Ken has Force blocked his mind in order to infiltrate the Resistance. Just wait.[/spoiler]
Then why does he throw a tantrum when he hears [spoiler]FN-2187 has escaped Jakku on a freighter, bound (presumably) for the Resistance? Not saying Disney won't go down that route, mind...[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Part of Kylo's anger in the movie seems to come from his failure to deal with Finn at the very start - he knew something was up at the massacre, but delegated the matter to oafs [/spoiler]rather than doing it himself.
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 January, 2016, 02:11:50 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 05 January, 2016, 02:04:40 PM
[spoiler]Finn's a plant. Rylo Ken has Force blocked his mind in order to infiltrate the Resistance. Just wait.[/spoiler]
Then why does he throw a tantrum when he hears [spoiler]FN-2187 has escaped Jakku on a freighter, bound (presumably) for the Resistance? Not saying Disney won't go down that route, mind...[/spoiler]
[spoiler]
Part of Kylo's anger in the movie seems to come from his failure to deal with Finn at the very start - he knew something was up at the massacre, but delegated the matter to oafs [/spoiler]rather than doing it himself.
[spoiler]Good point. I think I'm hoping for something like this rather than really believing it.[/spoiler]
This could well be a feature of the new Star Wars but the collective organism of fandom seems to have decided en masse that mind-wipes/mind-blocks provide an answer to some of the questions. Not into this idea myself as it feels a bit easy - and dodgy - but has this ever before been established* as a use of the Force?
*plot convenient wiping of droid memories and the uncanny amnesia of central characters not recalling droids they re-built/hung around with in the past doesn't count.
About Finn.
[spoiler]I know Finn's ex-stormtrooper, but what would be his role in next Episodes? He not Jedi, or pilot? [/spoiler]
Quote from: Goaty on 05 January, 2016, 03:19:26 PM
About Finn.
[spoiler]I know Finn's ex-stormtrooper, but what would be his role in next Episodes? He not Jedi, or pilot? [/spoiler]
[spoiler]princess in distress[/spoiler]
Well Finn could be next generation's Leia, Poe a Solo and Rey a Luke?
Finn in future films:
(https://media3.giphy.com/media/7LAqMVFxOGPAc/200_s.gif)
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 05 January, 2016, 02:47:44 PM*plot convenient wiping of droid memories and the uncanny amnesia of central characters not recalling droids they re-built/hung around with in the past doesn't count.
This is all easily explained by what we now know of events: Alec Guinness was too drunk to remember that Obi-Wan used to hang about with droids.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 05 January, 2016, 02:47:44 PM
This could well be a feature of the new Star Wars but the collective organism of fandom seems to have decided en masse that mind-wipes/mind-blocks provide an answer to some of the questions. Not into this idea myself as it feels a bit easy - and dodgy - but has this ever before been established* as a use of the Force? Neither form part of the new canon.
*plot convenient wiping of droid memories and the uncanny amnesia of central characters not recalling droids they re-built/hung around with in the past doesn't count.
Not in the movies, but Quinlan Vos' story in the Republic comic centered on just such a happenstance, and the most famous case is the player character in the KotOR game, [spoiler]who turns out to be Darth Revan who has had his memory Force-wiped by the Jedi Council. Revan is the Sith Kylo Ren closely resembles.[/spoiler]
The only canonical sort-of instance is the TCW Mortis episodes, where Anakin has the memory of the revelation of his future fall wiped by the Father, who is a mystical Force being/archetype/avatar, rather than a Jedi. Other memory wiping seems to occur to Obi-Wan and Ahsoka in the same episode.
Hmm, a quick Google reveals that Vos lost his memory due to an overdose of Spice, not the Force. Ah whatever.
Tordel-Cron malfunction.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 05 January, 2016, 03:44:44 PM
This is all easily explained by what we now know of events: Alec Guinness was too drunk to remember that Obi-Wan used to hang about with droids.
I love you can explain most inconsistencies between the prequels and the originals as "Exiled Jedis just get hiiiiiggh as shit"
What Obi-Wan actually denies is ownership of any droids, which is true... From a certain point of view. My personal ret-con is that Ben is merely suspicious and appropriately cautious when a droid that was owned by Darth Vader (R2 was a gift to Ani from Padme in the Tartakovsky cartoon) and another closely resembling one built by him show up near his hideout in the company of Vader's son, and despite a memory wipe 19 years previously appear to know his (not very) secret identity. It could easily be a trap. Equally, R2 units are three a penny, and there's no guarantee this actually is the same blue R2 that he left with Bail Organa.
He's also a dirty liar.
So this whole Rey thing...
All this theorising about her origins* (that she's Luke's daughter, or Obi Wan's granddaughter, or Anakin Skywalker reincarnated), but it seems to me that the truth is staring us right in the face:
Going back to a point I made ages ago, is it just me that thinks it is blindingly obvious that she was originally written to be [spoiler]Han and Leia's daughter/Kylo Ren's sister and a former student of Luke[/spoiler]?
It feels to me very much like Abrams came in, rewrote the character's origin but did not rewrite the rest of the script to accommodate this, save adding a few throwaway lines that barely paper over the plotholes that this created. And what's more - if I had to guess I'd say that this change was made extremely late in the day, perhaps even after principal filming had been completed.
Just off the top of my head, this explains so many of the script problems and conveniences present in the film, such as:
[spoiler]Why she was hidden on Jakku in the first place - to protect her from the First Order, as Luke was hidden on Tatooine to protect him from the Empire, and also why she cannot leave (instead of the rather flimsy and wholly unsatisfying explanation that she is 'waiting for her family').
Why the Millenium Falcon is there with her on Jakku, rather than 'it was just sitting there', which is one of the most ludicrously convenient plot beats in a film in recent memory.
Why Han Solo is in such close proximity to her - he is remotely watching over her as Obi Wan did for Luke.
Why she appears to have prior Jedi training - it also dispels any criticism that she learns too fast or is 'overpowered'.
Why Kylo Ren seems so bothered by her, and why he is so keen to pursue/capture her - they're supposed to be siblings, perhaps even twins.
Her bond with Han and why she is so upset about his death - he is her father, not just someone she has known for an afternoon.
Why Luke's lightsaber calls to her - she is a Skywalker by blood.
Why Luke recognises her and the significance of her arrival, and also why she was picked to go and find him in the first place.[/spoiler]
I'd single this out as the single biggest problem with the film, and the one, for me, that has a huge knock-on effect and ultimately breaks it. It's so obvious I just can't ignore it. Her relationships with all the other principal characters and her arc overall would have been so much richer as originally intended, and as a result of the change feel (to me) vaguely hollow and unsatisfying. I'm sure Abrams had his reasons for doing this but I can't for the life of me think why (worries that it was all a step too close to the Expanded Universe? A calculated move to counter the fact that rumours about her leaked so early in production?).
*The very fact that there are so many theories flying around suggests to me that people are trying to rationalise the fact that this new character they love so much is actually a little thin and poorly-written in the film as presented.
I assumed Disney didn't want to do Han and Leia's kids as twins on opposite sides of the Force because with creative contracts being the way they are nowadays, this would mean cutting cheques for the writers of the EU books - possibly even giving them onscreen credit. It's no secret the film was being rewritten as late as the editing stage, never mind during shooting.
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2016, 05:31:33 PMIt feels to me very much like Abrams came in, rewrote the character's origin but did not rewrite the rest of the script to accommodate this, save adding a few throwaway lines that barely paper over the plotholes that this created. And what's more - if I had to guess I'd say that this change was made extremely late in the day, perhaps even after principal filming had been completed.
I'd single this out as the single biggest problem with the film, and the one, for me, that has a huge knock-on effect and ultimately breaks it.
*The very fact that there are so many theories flying around suggests to me that people are trying to rationalise the fact that this new character they love so much is actually a little thin and poorly-written in the film as presented.
I think you can play with the super-position of Rey within the story in multiple ways but it's hard to make specific judgements on who made what creative choices why and when; f'rinstance, Starkiller Base, as a sun-eating weapon, was a suggestion by OT FX guru Dennis Muren but a planet based super-weapon was all ready part of the outline a month or so into Michael Arndt's tenure and he met with the art-department to come up with design concepts long before there was a script. Arndt, Kasdan and Abrams were around since the beginning
- Kasdan (with Simon Kinberg) was in a consultant position before Arndt left - and while Arndt apparently disagreed with the focus on old characters
- I don't think that's an issue the film suffers from - he did say that he needed another 18 months to write the script. So I think a lot of things were in flux.
Abrams was ultimately in charge and it is his style of film-making that produced and recovered a film from whatever they wrote and shot but there are so many variables that blame is a burden shared. Time-pressure from Disney and their shareholders meant they could only delay the film for 6 months rather than the 12 (for May 2016 release) they requested.
My own misgiving with the film comes from the idea that it's about the
Search for Luke Skywalker - a great idea - but nobody seems to be doing any real, active searching or discovering about him, before the final meeting at the First Jedi Temple.
18 months to write a script?
Can't say I've written any screenplays in my time, but this number seems somewhat off.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 06 January, 2016, 07:07:47 PM
18 months to write a script?
Can't say I've written any screenplays in my time, but this number seems somewhat off.
Abrams's words and I can only presume it may have been a pretext for Arndt to get off crazy train.
Abrams: Michael Arndt started working on the script but Michael needed 18 months more than anyone had signed up for. We had to decide: do we wait another year-and-a-half or not? It really wasn't an option for Kathy and the studio, and frankly I couldn't wait until sometime next year to begin shooting this thing. http://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/force-awakens-full-story/
The official line that Arndt - a professional and highly accomplished screenwriter - needed an additional 18 months to write the script could be true, but seems a bit odd to me and I doubt the full picture has emerged yet.
As you say, the other given reason - that Abrams wanted to focus more on the old guard and Arndt favoured a new cast - doesn't bear out in the film we got (agree with you that the extent of Leia and Han usage in the film is perfectly fine btw).
Doing some digging, it appears (and I'm just guessing here) that the bare bones of the plot as appears in the final film were leaked years ago, and the main changes after Abrams came on board were:
[spoiler]Introduction of nebuolous 'map' to act as Maguffin instead of simply Luke's saber (which acts as some kind of literal key). First shot of film no longer hand/lightsaber floating through space.
Significantly reduced role of Max Von Sydow character, resurrection of Poe Dameron.
Han and Chewie piloting a nondescript freighter instead of Super Star Destroyer.
Rey aka 'Kira' and Ben no longer siblings.
Decreased role for Luke and totally different ending (originally Luke kills Han, who is trying to protect his son - and it's this act that makes Ben turn to the dark side).
I also remember some scuttlebutt from ages ago that the reason Luke went into hiding was that his powers had grown so much he was starting to lose control of them - brought to mind Tetsuo from Akira.[/spoiler]
Again, I'm just speculating, but it seems like the original ending, if true, would have been very controversial, and may have potentially been a bit of a flash point behind the scenes.
Maybe it's a bit of a reach, but it seems a little reminiscent of Prometheus - evidence of hefty rewrites, empty 'mystery' being added at the expense of plot clarity and coherence, shoddy writing mistaken for deliberate ambiguity, cries from fans that "It will all be explained in the sequels" and similar accusations aimed at critics pointing out problems with the script that "You can't deal with ambiguity/need everything spoon-fed to you".
Have to agree with you Radiator, this was my reading too. Another clue [spoiler]is the way Rey doesn't visit the Resistance base until the end, keeping her away from a reunion with Leia and R2.[/spoiler]. I found the resulting 'tease' of Rey's origins the least satisfying aspect of the movie.
However, it's water under the bridge now, and on we go regardless. While I agree that this major change was made very late in the day, I don't think I disagree with the way Abrams cut the film - he plainly sacrificed extensive action sequences (at least two speeder chases, for example) and vital exposition to get the film to move at the right pace, and to give the new characters time to establish themselves, while preventing the old guard being reduced to cameos (Luke doesn't even count as a cameo). And it worked. I don't know if Rey's origins were altered/cut as part of this refocusing, but for all my regrets about it, we definitely got a strong rewatchable film.
FWIW, I think the reworked Rey represents [spoiler]a new 'chosen one' character, possible even a second 'vergence in the Force' given the coincidences that swirl around her, who was hidden on Jakku with her memories supressed to keep her from Snoke and the newly corrupted Kylo, who are plainly are of her and her newly-awakened potential. She doesn't necessarily have to be anyone's kid now, although I'll be surprised if she isn't.[/spoiler]
I dunno - it's certainly a fast-paced film (arguably one that could do with a bit more room to breathe) but at what cost? Even explaining the basic premise regarding the First Order and the Republic - ie who is fighting who and why we should care - ultimately got the chop.
Rey truly being 'no one' is fine by me, but as I say, they didn't seem to rewrite everything else adequately to reflect this change. For me the resultant butterfly effect creates too many distracting problems with the script and story to be able to think of TFA as anything other than an enjoyable - but hugely flawed - film.
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2016, 07:31:28 PM
Doing some digging, it appears (and I'm just guessing here) that the bare bones of the plot as appears in the final film were leaked years ago, and the main changes after Abrams came on board were:
[spoiler]Introduction of nebuolous 'map' to act as Maguffin instead of simply Luke's saber (which acts as some kind of literal key). First shot of film no longer hand/lightsaber floating through space.
The original opening scene of the [spoiler]planet-fallen lightsaber being picked up by a hand[/spoiler] was shot and cut from the film late in post-production. It was the first part of the Force-Vision - there's a cut-down version in the film where [spoiler]Rey sees the journey of the saber starting with Vader dismembering Luke's hand in Cloud-City and contains other elements[/spoiler]:
[spoiler]There is what looks to be a Jedi Academy, and the dead bodies of padawans are on the ground. Luke Skywalker shows up, too late. He sits by a funeral pyre with R2-D2. The droid is saddened by his master's departure. Cut to the hand that takes the lightsaber at the start of the film. It is now revealed to be the hand of "Naka." Naka accidentally starts a grass fire after igniting the saber. Cut to a local trader making a sale to a wealthy man. Cut to a fierce battle! The lightsaber is being used by the CLAN against THE SEVEN. The last man is down and Kylo Ren approaches Rey. THE SEVEN are looting and we see Maz Kanata in the foreground taking an object.[/spoiler]
It might be released on blu-ray or kept until Ep.VII but it was referenced in the text of this 'canon' display at Disneyland:
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CTqj6NFU8AA6esQ.jpg)
The map idea was there from early on in Arndt's outline - one idea was that it would be found in the sunken tower that housed the Emperor's throne Room in the wreckage of the Death Star on Endor. It's obvious why this wouldn't work. The map is probably a better idea than the lightsaber acting like the
One-Ring always trying to get back to its master.The other McGuffin was the hunt for Vader's helmet. Not significant enough to base a film around.
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2016, 07:59:38 PM
Even explaining the basic premise regarding the First Order and the Republic - ie who is fighting who and why we should care - ultimately got the chop.
This is addressed in the opening crawl: "[spoiler]Luke Skywalker has vanished. In his absence, the sinister FIRST ORDER has risen from the ashes of the Empire and will not rest until Skywalker, the last Jedi, has been destroyed. With the support of the REPUBLIC, General Leia Organa leads a brave RESISTANCE".[/spoiler]. That's at least as much info as we had in Star Wars.
But I agree - that 30 second chat between Leia and Maisie Richardson-Sellers on Hosnian Prime would have gone a long way towards clarifying the stakes. There's no denying the flaws in TFA, it left me disappointed after one viewing for largely the reasons you describe, but having acknowledged these shortcomings before a second viewing, I think what is left is still really, really good. Good enough to outweigh the many problems - for me, at least.
QuoteThat's at least as much info as we had in Star Wars.
I would totally dispute that - everything we need to know about the Empire and the Rebel Alliance is there onscreen in the first ten minutes of the original movie and is constantly reinforced through visual storytelling. It's economical but it's there. It's a very fine balance between 'dropping the audience in' and not giving them enough information to the point where they're confused.
From where I'm standing the whole situation left a lot of people scratching their heads ("Why is the Empire back, and even more powerful?", "Eh? What planet was that, and why do literally no one seem to care about it's destruction?", ""Why are the Republic and The Resistance two different things?" "Who is the more powerful, the Republic or The First Order?" and so on and so on) so imo it badly needed more context.
Having an easily-missed couple of lines in a opening crawl is not nearly enough, especially when 'The Republic' is only mentioned again 90 minutes later [spoiler]then instantly destroyed.[/spoiler]
Are you seriously trying to tell me that it didn't leave you even slightly confused and that you didn't at some point after seeing the film jump onto Google to get some clarification?
I think someone else mentioned on this thread that TFA really badly needed an equivalent scene to the one in ANH where we see a meeting of Imperial generals and Darth Vader chokes that dude. We don't see enough to get a real sense of The First Order, their motivation, their plans - all we get instead is Domhnall Gleeson going full Nazi in a scene that - free of context - comes across as very jarring and odd.
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2016, 08:50:37 PM
Are you seriously trying to tell me that it didn't leave you even slightly confused and that you didn't at some point after seeing the film jump onto Google to get some clarification?
Of course I was confused (and said as much, earlier in this thread and in this very discussion), and did just that - but pretty much all the info out there comes from the movie. The situation is confusing (and of necessity is more complex), but equally the answer is up there on the screen, and if it bothers you easy to find out. TPM-phobia has Abrams keep staff meetings and politics to a minimum - we don't even see the Senate before it is destroyed, so determined is he to avoid that accusation. I'd argue he went way too far (but then I also never minded the Senate scenes), but that's the disillusioned audience he's targeting: now 100℅ poitics-free! It's a deliberate approach. This movie emphasises different things.
The hints of backstory the story-group have, presumably, worked-out for the First Order suggest they have taken the correct post-ROTJ route, as in rather than being anti-climactic and diminishing the victory of ROTJ with our heroes still fighting old-Empire skirmishes, it's been placed in a larger - lore expansive - context. Unfortunately they didn't put any of it in the 7th film.
And very disappointed we only see one Star Destroyer!
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 January, 2016, 09:02:58 PM
Quote from: radiator on 06 January, 2016, 08:50:37 PM
Are you seriously trying to tell me that it didn't leave you even slightly confused and that you didn't at some point after seeing the film jump onto Google to get some clarification?
Of course I was confused (and said as much, earlier in this thread and in this very discussion), and did just that - but pretty much all the info out there comes from the movie. The situation is confusing (and of necessity is more complex), but equally the answer is up there on the screen, and if it bothers you easy to find out.
For me, this is definitely the biggest omission in the film. Thirty seconds of dialogue is all it would've taken for me to grasp the difference between the Rebellion and the Resistance and might actually have made blowing up this planets seem to have more of a point beyond just a standard bit of evil bellendery.
I was thinking about the whole idea of what can actually be gleaned from the film itself while watching RotJ (#2 4 Life!) the other night. It occurred to me that I know the name of virtually every character in Jabba's Palace without any of them ever being named in the film. Not sure that's the same thing though as it doesn't really affect the story in any way but I am aware that I'm no longer invested enough to pay attention to anything beyond the text itself.
All this is quite odd partly because I think the opening - Rey scavenging amongst the ruins of the Imperial fleet - does such a great job of evoking a Universe where fallout from the destruction of the Emperor has touched everything. All visually without any expository dialogue.
That is always worth remembering - so much of what we know about the OT isn't in the movies at all. No-one mentions AT-ATs or Y-wings or Palpatine by name. Indeed no-one even mentions Tatooine until the opening crawl of RotJ. I know this isn't the same as grasping the nature of the main players, but it does indicate how much we have always relied on outside sources to interpret these films.
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 January, 2016, 10:09:24 PM
That is always worth remembering - so much of what we know about the OT isn't in the movies at all. No-one mentions AT-ATs or Y-wings or Palpatine by name. Indeed no-one even mentions Tatooine until the opening crawl of RotJ. I know this isn't the same as grasping the nature of the main players, but it does indicate how much we have always relied on outside sources to interpret these films.
Wow, hadn't realised any of that (except for the thing about Palpatine). I'm guessing I picked up most of that from the reprints from the Return of the Jedi comic (plus a poster magazine I had, though that wouldn't have featured AT-ATs - not sure about the others). I don't remember actually having seen ANH before I first saw RotJ, and had only seen ESB once.
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 January, 2016, 07:32:46 PM
FWIW, I think the reworked Rey represents [spoiler]a new 'chosen one' character, possible even a second 'vergence in the Force' given the coincidences that swirl around her
There's only so much Magic Jedi-Sperm this saga can take.
Somebody said something about this film and other deliberately avoiding what was written before. Wether it was from the condemned and much maligned expanded universe. Can't for the life of me find on the last page whee I found it, but it got me to thinking about things that were on my mind.
Quote from: sheridan on 06 January, 2016, 11:43:14 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 January, 2016, 10:09:24 PM
That is always worth remembering - so much of what we know about the OT isn't in the movies at all. No-one mentions AT-ATs or Y-wings or Palpatine by name. Indeed no-one even mentions Tatooine until the opening crawl of RotJ. I know this isn't the same as grasping the nature of the main players, but it does indicate how much we have always relied on outside sources to interpret these films.
Wow, hadn't realised any of that (except for the thing about Palpatine). I'm guessing I picked up most of that from the reprints from the Return of the Jedi comic (plus a poster magazine I had, though that wouldn't have featured AT-ATs - not sure about the others). I don't remember actually having seen ANH before I first saw RotJ, and had only seen ESB once.
The Sith, that's another one.
The thing is, Disney had a huge multi-media drive (well...books&comics) before the movie's release. Explained a lot of backstory. Nobody read them because:
a)They were worried about spoilers
b)They expected all the important information to be in the movie
c)They didn't want to shell out money on books&comics before seeing if the movie was worth the investment
d)They were kids that weren't interested enough in Star Wars yet
e)The poor quality of 90% of the Old EU put people off any kind of EU beyond the movies (and maybe the odd cartoon or game)
Or some combination of such.
Now the great thing about the internet is, the suckers who actually read this shit will summerize it for you. (http://io9.gizmodo.com/all-the-backstory-you-desperately-want-to-know-about-th-1751196966)*
*sorry that's a messy, meandering and generally badly written article. Much like this post.
Finns role in Ep 8, well those rebellion toilets aren't going to unblock themselves.
Saw this on
Twitter......
(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CYDQPf3WMAE1rPQ.jpg)
Yeah, I think that's about right!
Quote from: Mister Pops on 07 January, 2016, 01:22:31 AM
The thing is, Disney had a huge multi-media drive (well...books&comics) before the movie's release. Explained a lot of backstory. Nobody read them beccause...
That's a great point, Pops. I know I avoided the lot, and I was surely in the target audience.
I'm still feeling like all of the stuff they put out can just be retconned out of any relevancy to the movies at any point. Maybe just the void left by the EU and the initial destruction of the Dark Horse comics when Disney got the licence (though it's funny to hear that the Dark Horse characters are still canon because of Clone Wars/Rebels)
Third viewing and that was still grand and the 3d was spot on. We bought new glasses so it's either that or the projection set up on our first viewing. I never seem to have problems with 3d on telly at home.
Still giggling at the bit where Han shoots a Stormtrooper without looking at him.
Also noted vehicles in the background of some shots that explained how characters get from a to b so quickly at the end.
It could have done with a little more good guys/wanks set up but not enough to ruin it. I just rolled with the basic idea that the guys in black NazI uniforms who shoot innocent prisoners and villagers were the villains. It's a short hand that has served me well for many years.
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 January, 2016, 10:09:24 PM
That is always worth remembering - so much of what we know about the OT isn't in the movies at all. No-one mentions AT-ATs or Y-wings or Palpatine by name. Indeed no-one even mentions Tatooine until the opening crawl of RotJ. I know this isn't the same as grasping the nature of the main players, but it does indicate how much we have always relied on outside sources to interpret these films.
Very much this. It's not much good complaining that Rey may or may not be A/B/ or C when the film doesn't say either way. Likewise I'm happy to accept her sudden force ninja'ing because we simply don't have enough information to base an opinion on. It's not a stand alone film and can't be analyzed as such. Yes it needs to make internal sense but doesn't need to tell you why at every step.
Quote from: James Stacey on 07 January, 2016, 01:45:11 PM
Likewise I'm happy to accept her sudden force ninja'ing because we simply don't have enough information to base an opinion on.
Every time Rey uses the Force, she's been shown how to by Kylo Ren - Mind control in the prison, and he actually tells her to "Use the Force" just before she defeats him in their fight...
Silly question, but why would Kylo Ren [spoiler]wear a mask anyway? It's not like he has breathing problems or (initially) scars[/spoiler]. Is he just trying to be [spoiler]as cool as his old grandpappy [/spoiler]?
By the way, I thought it was a good move to make him have the odd [spoiler]temper tantrum - it set him apart from the normally cold, clinical and emotionless approach of the Sith Lords that came before him. I know he's not a Sith, but by Christ he's heading that way.[/spoiler]
And of course Finn [spoiler]isn't dead. They would have shown him dying. Han, now, he's dead.[/spoiler]
Just realised on listening to Adam Buxton's podcast yesterday that Finn is Moses from Joe Cornish's Attack the Block. Joe: Still making films with Star Wars men without even knowing it.
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 07 January, 2016, 02:32:36 PM
And of course Finn [spoiler]isn't dead. They would have shown him dying. Han, now, he's dead.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]There's dead, and then there's movie dead. If there's no body then life can continue. Han will be resurrected if they throw enough money at Ford I imagine.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Pyroxian on 07 January, 2016, 02:30:44 PM
Quote from: James Stacey on 07 January, 2016, 01:45:11 PM
Likewise I'm happy to accept her sudden force ninja'ing because we simply don't have enough information to base an opinion on.
Every time Rey uses the Force, she's been shown how to by Kylo Ren - Mind control in the prison, and he actually tells her to "Use the Force" just before she defeats him in their fight...
Except for her bravurra [spoiler]flying on Jakku, which has to be Force-assisted in the same way Ani's podracing is: 'He can see things before they happen. That's why he appears to have such quick reflexes. It's a Jedi trait'. And as recently discussed elsewhere, this precedes Snoke's 'there has been an awakening', while Kylo's interrogation takes place afterwards. Note also that Ren knows that Rey's abilities are growing rapidly as she becomes aware of them.[/spoiler]
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 January, 2016, 02:42:19 PM
Except for her bravurra [spoiler]flying on Jakku, which has to be Force-assisted in the same way Ani's podracing is: 'He can see things before they happen. That's why he appears to have such quick reflexes. It's a Jedi trait'. And as recently discussed elsewhere, this precedes Snoke's 'there has been an awakening', while Kylo's interrogation takes place afterwards. Note also that Ren knows that Rey's abilities are growing rapidly as she becomes aware of them.[/spoiler]
True, Jedi are naturally more gifted than others. So, given that the plot had set-up Rey to be a Jedi, why is everyone so surprised when she turns out to be one?
And her flying wasn't that great - she bashed the Falcon into just about anything that wasn't moving :D
Quote from: Pyroxian on 07 January, 2016, 03:15:13 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 07 January, 2016, 02:42:19 PM
Except for her bravurra [spoiler]flying on Jakku, which has to be Force-assisted in the same way Ani's podracing is: 'He can see things before they happen. That's why he appears to have such quick reflexes. It's a Jedi trait'. And as recently discussed elsewhere, this precedes Snoke's 'there has been an awakening', while Kylo's interrogation takes place afterwards. Note also that Ren knows that Rey's abilities are growing rapidly as she becomes aware of them.[/spoiler]
True, Jedi are naturally more gifted than others. So, given that the plot had set-up Rey to be a Jedi, why is everyone so surprised when she turns out to be one?
And her flying wasn't that great - she bashed the Falcon into just about anything that wasn't moving :D
Considering the Falcon's considerable state of disrepair, presumably hindering any kind of stabilisers or flight mechanism it has, pumping into a wall or two probably did it more good than harm! :lol:
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 07 January, 2016, 02:32:36 PM
Silly question, but why would Kylo Ren [spoiler]wear a mask anyway? It's not like he has breathing problems or (initially) scars[/spoiler]. Is he just trying to be [spoiler]as cool as his old grandpappy [/spoiler]?
By the way, I thought it was a good move to make him have the odd [spoiler]temper tantrum - it set him apart from the normally cold, clinical and emotionless approach of the Sith Lords that came before him. I know he's not a Sith, but by Christ he's heading that way.[/spoiler]
And of course Finn [spoiler]isn't dead. They would have shown him dying. Han, now, he's dead.[/spoiler]
Just realised on listening to Adam Buxton's podcast yesterday that Finn is Moses from Joe Cornish's Attack the Block. Joe: Still making films with Star Wars men without even knowing it.
I'd assumed Kylo Ren is just keeping his true identity a secret. Perhaps it would be too easy to find out his true identity if he showed his face. I suspect it suits both the First Order and Resistance that his true identity as the son of the most prominent resistance leader isn't public knowledge.
Quote from: Pyroxian on 07 January, 2016, 03:15:13 PM
And her flying wasn't that great - she bashed the Falcon into just about anything that wasn't moving :D
I dunno man, she flew a[spoiler] mothballed light freighter through two crashed capital starships while under fire, and executed a precision loop-the-loop about 50m off the ground.[/spoiler]..I'd say she's a fair pilot.
Quote from: JamesC on 07 January, 2016, 04:40:12 PM
Quote from: JayzusB.Christ on 07 January, 2016, 02:32:36 PM
Silly question, but why would Kylo Ren [spoiler]wear a mask anyway? It's not like he has breathing problems or (initially) scars[/spoiler]. Is he just trying to be [spoiler]as cool as his old grandpappy [/spoiler]?
By the way, I thought it was a good move to make him have the odd [spoiler]temper tantrum - it set him apart from the normally cold, clinical and emotionless approach of the Sith Lords that came before him. I know he's not a Sith, but by Christ he's heading that way.[/spoiler]
And of course Finn [spoiler]isn't dead. They would have shown him dying. Han, now, he's dead.[/spoiler]
Just realised on listening to Adam Buxton's podcast yesterday that Finn is Moses from Joe Cornish's Attack the Block. Joe: Still making films with Star Wars men without even knowing it.
I'd assumed Kylo Ren is just keeping his true identity a secret. Perhaps it would be too easy to find out his true identity if he showed his face. I suspect it suits both the First Order and Resistance that his true identity as the son of the most prominent resistance leader isn't public knowledge.
Nah, it's pure affectation,[spoiler] making himself look like a scary badass (Darth Revan to be precise, but presumably Vader by intention) rather than a Ross Geller (1980s flahback version) lookalike: a monster in a mask, as Rey says. Poe highlights this when he pretends he can't understand Kylo through the voice modulation, as do von Sydow's character and Han. Once he confronts Han he no longer needs the mask[/spoiler] - he's become what he pretends to be.
(Although I imagine it or something similar will be back next time).
Quote from: JamesC on 07 January, 2016, 04:40:12 PMI'd assumed Kylo Ren is just keeping his true identity a secret. Perhaps it would be too easy to find out his true identity if he showed his face. I suspect it suits both the First Order and Resistance that his true identity as the son of the most prominent resistance leader isn't public knowledge.
As he entreated to grandpappy, Kylo Ren has performance issues. A scary voice and helmet to hide behind keeps his pecker up.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 07 January, 2016, 04:56:02 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 07 January, 2016, 04:40:12 PMI'd assumed Kylo Ren is just keeping his true identity a secret. Perhaps it would be too easy to find out his true identity if he showed his face. I suspect it suits both the First Order and Resistance that his true identity as the son of the most prominent resistance leader isn't public knowledge.
As he entreated to grandpappy, Kylo Ren has performance issues. A scary voice and helmet to hide behind keeps his pecker up.
During [spoiler]Rey's vision/flashback she see's Kylo Ren with the rest of his order and they're all wearing those helmets.[/spoiler] Maybe that helmet is just the trappings of his order, in the same way that all the Prequel Jedi seem to wear desert hermit robes.
Quote from: Mister Pops on 07 January, 2016, 05:23:10 PM
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 07 January, 2016, 04:56:02 PM
As he entreated to grandpappy, Kylo Ren has performance issues. A scary voice and helmet to hide behind keeps his pecker up.
During [spoiler]Rey's vision/flashback she see's Kylo Ren with the rest of his order and they're all wearing those helmets.[/spoiler] Maybe that helmet is just the trappings of his order, in the same way that all the Prequel Jedi seem to wear desert hermit robes.
It works in cases of both villain identity and character - there are a few scenes illustrating that it
means more than just a helmet for Kylo: the scene with Rey in the torture chamber and him praying to another helmet of note.
Thanks all; it makes a bit more sense now. And I suppose (most) Stormtroopers wear face-covering helmets pretty much all the time, so it's kind of a done thing in the First Order already, as it was in the Empire.
However, I'm still tearing my hair out* about why Han's ship is called after a member of some avian species from a planet in a galaxy far, far away from his, a long time into his future. And to make matters worse, the name is preceded by time period that in cosmic terms is utterly arbitrary and should be virtually meaningless to an interplanetary drifter.
*I'm really, really not.
QuoteVery much this. It's not much good complaining that Rey may or may not be A/B/ or C when the film doesn't say either way.
It is precisely
because the film doesn't say either way that is the problem - and also that you can clearly see it
was one thing that has been hastily re-edited. We don't need to get her entire life story, but for it to work dramatically we need to have a character that is consistent and has a clear motivation. Rey is a mass of weird little contradictions that - to my mind - do not add up to a convincing protagonist:
She's a nobody dreaming of a life of high adventure... who, for reasons I found ill-defined and unconvincing, refuses the call to adventure when it lands in her lap.
She's a resourceful and scrappy survivor... who seems content to live in miserable poverty while surrounded by plentiful, easy means of escape, all for the rather paper-thin reason that she's waiting for her family to return. A family who, lets not forget, abandoned her to her predicament. Love those guys!
She's a capable space pilot... who hasn't left Jakku since she was a young child.
She's a supernaturally gifted mechanic... who is for reasons unknown eking out a meagre existence doing unskilled salvage work.
She a nobody... who learns how to use the Force through osmosis. She may well turn out to be a former student of Luke's, but I really don't think she will, because from a narrative and dramatic pov that ship has sailed. All saving that revelation for a later film does is harm this one.
Look, I don't expect Star Wars characters to be anything other than broad archetypes, but I feel like with Rey they didn't even clear this low bar, and, as I said above, all these weird quirks and contradictions are seemingly a result of changing the script so that she is no longer Rey [spoiler]Solo[/spoiler].
I feel like people are glossing over a lot of issues with the character writing because
"Yay! Ass-kicking female Jedi!" and it seems like Abrams is getting a free pass on exactly the kind of thing he usually gets torn apart for because
Star Wars.
QuoteIt's not a stand alone film and can't be analyzed as such.
Yes, it can. I very strongly believe that all films have to work - on some level - as 'standalone' films, and as such should not have to rely on sequels or ancillary material to explain things like the basic motivation of the main character.
I assumed that Rey behaved in this way simply because that's the same archetypal, hero's journey monomyth that A New Hope uses.
Luke longs for adventure, but when the opportunity arises decides that he's got to go home and go to bed.
They both meet mysterious old men who impart secret knowledge.
Luke's given a gift of a light sabre. Rey is given a space ship. Both of them unlock a previously unknown power in the holder.
Sure, Rey can be regarded as a strangle little character... but she is Luke, and grown men have been dressing up as him for nearly forty years.
I really don't agree about Rey being inconsistent. [spoiler]She's desperately lonely, she's surviving until her family come back for her (which may be na unnaturally strong command, given her likely connections) while yearning to leave. Her bond with BB8 is because he is under exactly the same imperative, and her desire to help him out of the same predicament is her principal motivation through most of the film. It's only when the events in Maz's castle open up the 'larger world' and the possibility of another sort of belonging ahead rather than behind, and Kylo abducts and tortures her, kills or injures her 'new family', that her thoughts turn to other things..[/spoiler]. That seems very straightforward to me.
Also Radiator, while I agree in principle about standalone films, I think that's asking a bit much of a flick subtitled 'Episode VII'. Rey wants her old family, then a new family; Finn wants out of the Wermacht, and then to save his friend from his former commander; Leia wants to find Luke, and save her son; Han wants his family back; Poe wants to serve Leia and the Resistance; Kylo Ren wants Luke dead; Hux wants to be the big bully on the block. Is any more required?
Balls, wanted to spoiler that, but the edit time limit expired. Apologies.
More info about TR-8R;
About the First Order stormtrooper fans have designated TR-8R. Though Gwendoline Christie's Captain Phasma was dubbed the Boba Fett of the new trilogy by Lucasfilm ahead of release, her character proved a disappointment and this baton-twirling trooper, who has one line and a fight scene with Finn, has essentially moved into that position instead.
Now Lucasfilm has revealed some backstory about the character. Dubbed FN-2199 (aka. 'Nines'), the character was introduced in Greg Rucka's book "Before the Awakening" and trained and served on a squad with Finn (then FN-2187) in the First Order. His weapon is called a Z6 baton and he's part of an elite squad of riot controllers.
Skywalker Sound sound editor David Acord provided the voice for the character, while veteran stunt performer performed in the suit on-set.
Quote from: Goaty on 08 January, 2016, 11:29:34 AM
His weapon is called a Z6 baton and he's part of an elite squad of riot controllers.
Now I want Marvel comicbook spinof about him... by Al Ewing. Just sayin'.
Luke is a capable space pilot. Who only ever flew T-65s down Beggar's Canyon before...
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 08 January, 2016, 12:07:40 PM
Luke is a capable space pilot. Who only ever flew T-65s down Beggar's Canyon before...
Worse than that, it was a T-16 which has 3 wings and no nose, so really couldn't be expected to handle remotely like a T-65 high performance starfighter.
But it's okay, because he's a boy, which means he's a hero when he does these things. Rey however is a stinky girl, so when she does it she's a pathetic feminazi liberal PC Mary Sue ruining our Warz.
Quote from: Goaty on 08 January, 2016, 11:29:34 AM
His weapon is called a Z6 baton and he's part of an elite squad of riot controllers.
And reminded me a lot of similar weapons in one of the prequels (handled by the droid army, I think).
Quote from: Modern Panther on 07 January, 2016, 09:21:28 PM
Sure, Rey can be regarded as a strangle little character... but she is Luke, and grown men have been dressing up as him for nearly forty years.
They have? In the RotJ black Jedi robes, I hope. Which is what all the Jedi in the prequels should have been wearing, instead of Alec Guinness' desert camouflage.
I thought Rey was great and her mysterious past is a part of the plot that's obviously going to be revealed at a later date. Everything she does can be put down to natural adeptness or being attuned to the Force (or previously developed skills such as single combat). Nothing she does contradicts what we've already learned about the Force in other films. People keep complaining that she can use the force without training. Well, who was the first force-user and who trained them? She only tries out things that she knows are demonstrably possible.
As for her being diminished because she was 'obviously supposed to be someone else', well I think that's bollocks, frankly.
Spot-on there, James. I found the film frustrating, because it felt like we were supposed to get an answer about Rey that had clearly changed during production and was then withheld, making this one teaser too many after 2 years of them, but Rey as she actually appeared was perfect - a terrific hero, in a trio of new heroes.
Can we also talk about how, in the space of a few lines, Finn and Poe developed a better onscreen chemistry than anyone in the whole prequel trilogy?
Quote from: Hawkmonger on 08 January, 2016, 01:37:46 PM
Can we also talk about how, in the space of a few lines, Finn and Poe developed a better onscreen chemistry than anyone in the whole prequel trilogy?
It was certainly soft, not rough like sand.
TFA is not the most successful film of all time, if you adjust for inflation.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm)
But probably will be soon.
Some of the stuff on that list is quite hard to believe.
American Graffiti was a bigger hit than Batman (1989), Superman, or any of the Lord of the Rings films?
Quote from: von Boom on 08 January, 2016, 01:59:02 PM
TFA is not the most successful film of all time, if you adjust for inflation.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm)
But probably will be soon.
They're US domestic box-office results not worldwide.
Avatar is still top of the money-heap (an astonishing
$2.7 billion) and it'll be tough for any film to beat it, even Star Wars.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 08 January, 2016, 02:05:43 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 08 January, 2016, 01:59:02 PM
TFA is not the most successful film of all time, if you adjust for inflation.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/adjusted.htm)
But probably will be soon.
They're US domestic box-office results not worldwide.
Avatar is still top of the money-heap (an astonishing $2.7 billion) and it'll be tough for any film to beat it, even Star Wars.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/alltime/world/
Are those adjusted for inflations as well?
Quote from: JamesC on 08 January, 2016, 02:04:19 PM
Some of the stuff on that list is quite hard to believe.
American Graffiti was a bigger hit than Batman (1989), Superman, or any of the Lord of the Rings films?
In the US they were - adjusting for inflation.
Quote from: von Boom on 08 January, 2016, 02:08:01 PM
Are those adjusted for inflations as well?
Not all of them but Avatar would still be the top earner of all time because it gained the benefit of the international market opening up and earning greater than the US box-office - several times in fact.
Avatar
Domestic: $760,507,625
+ Foreign: $2,027,457,462
Didn't Avatar manage that amount because it was released twice - a 'special edition' with added footage, or something like that, was released a few months after it first came out but before it was released on DVD?
Quote from: DaveGYNWA on 08 January, 2016, 02:26:30 PM
Didn't Avatar manage that amount because it was released twice - a 'special edition' with added footage, or something like that, was released a few months after it first came out but before it was released on DVD?
No; most of its money was made on initial release because of the anomaly of it being the first 'real' 3D film and the increased ticket price.
It made an extra $30 million or so worldwide during its re-release.
Quote from: JamesC on 08 January, 2016, 02:04:19 PM
Some of the stuff on that list is quite hard to believe.
American Graffiti was a bigger hit than Batman (1989), Superman, or any of the Lord of the Rings films?
There is a reason George was eventually able to make a ludicrously uncommercial space film just because he wanted to.
Quote from: The Cosh on 08 January, 2016, 02:31:44 PM
There is a reason George was eventually able to make a ludicrously uncommercial space film just because he wanted to.
Well FOX paid for the first film (which is why they will always own it). George paid for Empire, Jedi and the Prequels.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 08 January, 2016, 02:30:50 PM
No; most of its money was made on initial release because of the anomaly of it being the first 'real' 3D film and the increased ticket price.
It made an extra $30 million or so worldwide during its re-release.
No idea where I got that idea from then.
Quote from: DaveGYNWA on 08 January, 2016, 02:36:21 PMNo idea where I got that idea from then.
Probably becuase it's insane Avatar could make that type of money.
Quote from: The Cosh on 08 January, 2016, 02:31:44 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 08 January, 2016, 02:04:19 PM
Some of the stuff on that list is quite hard to believe.
American Graffiti was a bigger hit than Batman (1989), Superman, or any of the Lord of the Rings films?
There is a reason George was eventually able to make a ludicrously uncommercial space film just because he wanted to.
I knew it has been successful - and more successful than had been expected. I just didn't realise it was some kind of mega-hit!
As big as Batman, Superman and LOTR's are, they are still niche genre films. American Graffiti has much more universal appeal.
Quote from: JamesC on 08 January, 2016, 03:24:18 PM
Quote from: The Cosh on 08 January, 2016, 02:31:44 PM
Quote from: JamesC on 08 January, 2016, 02:04:19 PM
Some of the stuff on that list is quite hard to believe.
American Graffiti was a bigger hit than Batman (1989), Superman, or any of the Lord of the Rings films?
There is a reason George was eventually able to make a ludicrously uncommercial space film just because he wanted to.
I knew it has been successful - and more successful than had been expected. I just didn't realise it was some kind of mega-hit!
It was so successful that it inspired the title of a Judge Dredd story once!
Luke's disappearance - [spoiler]Anyone have any ideas for his absence? I reckon he went in self-imposed exile after massacring all of the Knights of Ren after they killed all his students.[/spoiler]
That is a good theory. I hope it is true!
Finally got around to seeing this. I was not disappointed!
Quote from: Tordelback on 08 January, 2016, 12:50:19 PM
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 08 January, 2016, 12:07:40 PM
Luke is a capable space pilot. Who only ever flew T-65s down Beggar's Canyon before...
Worse than that, it was a T-16 which has 3 wings and no nose, so really couldn't be expected to handle remotely like a T-65 high performance starfighter.
But it's okay, because he's a boy, which means he's a hero when he does these things. Rey however is a stinky girl, so when she does it she's a pathetic feminazi liberal PC Mary Sue ruining our Warz.
I'd expect more from you, Tords (even if, as I suspect, you're saying that with a layer of irony).
FWIW, I'm thrilled that the lack of diversity in Star Wars (and big budget movies in general) has started to be addressed - it goes without saying that it's
long overdue. I think Daisy Ridley is fantastic, but I also believe that she elevates what is, in my opinion, a very muddled character on paper.
And regarding the point about Luke, at least we get a
somewhat plausible reason as to why he's a skilled pilot. Other than that, I really don't see the (supposedly) unflattering comparison being drawn here. Luke does
one cool thing, yes, but he's far from a badass. I think people's issue with Rey is that she goes from Luke at the beginning of ANH to Luke at the end of ESB over the course of one film, and it feels very rushed.
QuoteThat is a good theory. I hope it is true!
As I say, the very fact that there are
so many 'theories' and speculative click-bait flying around regarding, among other things, Kylo Ren, Rey's vision/flashback, Luke, Rey's parentage, the map, the First Order, Snoke's 'true' identity etc etc etc suggests to me that people are actively trying to crowdsource story fixes because they know - on some level - that what we got was a bit unsatisfying and doesn't really hold up to any kind of scrutiny. All par for the course where Abrams is concerned.
The original movies were able to hint at a much bigger story happening off-screen and leave plenty of scope for sequels, or prequels or spin-offs, but they never
relied on those sequels, prequels or spin-offs to give vital context or explain crucial plot points or character motivations in the way TFA does. We should be wondering where the story will go
next, not assuming/wondering whether sequels will retroactively make
this film make more sense. Honestly, it kind of blows my mind that so many people are unable to make this distinction.
Or, you know, maybe it's a bit quaint and old-fashioned of me to expect a film to be reasonably self-contained and not leave me with loads of nagging questions in this age of cross-media megafranchises and shared cinematic universes. Not being facetious or anything, just find myself thinking this kind of thing a lot.
None of what you say is wrong, Radiator - the story and by extension the setting is slight, incomplete and unsatisfying, that's the really big flaw of TFA, no question. And a very Abrams flaw it is too. It's frustrating, and disappointing.
However, after three movies of unlikeable inconsistent characters, disconnected action and leaden dialogue, I'm prepared to allow the new film to swing too far the other way, and spend its valuable time getting us really involved with some engaging new folk (and some old folk too). So I suppose where we differ is the degree to which the characters make up for the plot problems. For me, they more than do. I love the characters, I really do. I'm prepared to paper over the cracks with fan rationalisations and multimedia patches, just so I can watch them in action. I've done worse mental gymnastics for far less.
FWIW I still don't see Rey's [spoiler]miraculous progress as an issue. The title of the movie, Snoke and Kylo's dialogue and reactions, Maz's comments, Rey's own incredulity - they all sell the idea of a startling emergence of power, very unlike what we see with Luke's more gradual journey. I still don't really see her achievements as unbelievable either - a self-professed pilot whose suddenly-awakened Force talents give her a stunning boost, a junkyard fixer who can fix junkyard spaceships, a Force prodigy subjected to an attempt at mental control who can turn that around and control others,, a skilled unarmed fighter who runs away from a conflicted, badly injured opponent, then for a moment finds focus in the Force enough to defeat him. None of this seems off for me, none of it is at odds with Anakin's abilities (for example) [/spoiler]and while I suspect there is more to know than is in the movie, I don't need it for her character to work for me.
And a LOT of negative online reaction is solely and transparently because Rey is female, hence my earlier remarks (not in any way directed at you).
Quote from: radiator on 13 January, 2016, 08:32:20 PM
As I say, the very fact that there are so many 'theories' and speculative click-bait flying around regarding, among other things, Kylo Ren, Rey's vision/flashback, Luke, Rey's parentage, the map, the First Order, Snoke's 'true' identity etc etc etc suggests to me that people are actively trying to crowdsource story fixes because they know - on some level - that what we got was a bit unsatisfying and doesn't really hold up to any kind of scrutiny. All par for the course where Abrams is concerned.
I think a lot of that is because modern audiences have allowed themselves to expect there
must be a mystery or twist with every film or TV series and they automatically read stuff into it that may not really be there. The age of the internet and TV producers has encouraged this by making an industry out of story speculation, conspiracies and spoilers backed with the ability for millions to share in that speculation. JJ Abrams's name alone brings that expectation because of some of his past work and presentations; even when he's not even indulging in it.
Most things in The Force Awakens are played pretty straight
- if a little too momentary - and there's nothing on-screen to suggest why Snoke is a mystery anymore than the Emperor in the OT was. Feeding from Lucasfilm's massive output of back-up publications it's fans who have created a lot of the current fickle fever of mystery. Even if more context had been inserted into the film fans would still have speculated that Snoke was Plagueis, Luke or Salacious B. Crumb.
Rey's background is really the only mystery in The Force Awakens; whether that's due more to omission, not knowing the answer or it's more than that, remains to be seen.
As for the online 'Mary Sue' assault towards Rey that seemed initially driven by professionals/bloggers: I do have some minor issues with the character's behaviour
- it's not explained, she doesn't have enough reaction or downtime - but not to the extent some people do; especially when plenty of male characters exhibit the same behaviour in mainstream popular films.
Matt Damon may be an ace Space-Botanist who has years of training and experience but some of the mental and physical stuff he pulls-off in The Martian
-a supposedly 'grounded' film- is superhuman no matter how much science there is to back it up. The rest of his crew seem faultless in their abilities too but The Martian doesn't get criticsed because films can get a way with it when they're entertaining, clever enough and it's a male dominated space-adventure. This is not to excuse any faults in character set-up in The Force Awakens but a lot of the professional on-line criticism is overblown because of the film's exceptional profile and the lead actor happens to be a woman -
Anakin 'just-out-of-nappies' Skywalker never had this amount of attention even though his Force-Journey in The Phantom Menace is even more ludicrous than Rey's.
Oddly, I'm having a very similar conversation one-to-one with a friend as TB is with Radiator here... and I'm more or less with TB on this, for the same reasons — I like everything about TFA except for Giant Emperor Gollum and the entire plot of the movie but the stuff I do like goes a long way towards washing off the soulless stink of the prequels.
Episode VIII needs to be better, frankly, but I'll take this as a step up from Episodes I-III.
Cheers
Jim
It's only a film and I enjoy it. I am sure they got plots in planning for sequel. No more Starkiller or Death Star!!
Rey lives in a desert, yet there is oddly little in the way of criticism of the fact that she is very, very white.
Given how every other thing gets picked apart, this seems an odd omission.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 13 January, 2016, 09:47:04 PM
Rey lives in a desert, yet there is oddly little in the way of criticism of the fact that she is very, very white.
Given how every other thing gets picked apart, this seems an odd omission.
Hey, she's got freckles! Also, midichlorians obviously make for excellent sunscreen. Luke and Anakin were pretty pasty too, and their desert had
two suns.
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 13 January, 2016, 09:47:04 PM
Rey lives in a desert, yet there is oddly little in the way of criticism of the fact that she is very, very white.
Given how every other thing gets picked apart, this seems an odd omission.
What about her posh English accent and fantastic hair?
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 13 January, 2016, 09:47:04 PM
Rey lives in a desert, yet there is oddly little in the way of criticism of the fact that she is very, very white.
Given how every other thing gets picked apart, this seems an odd omission.
Then just invent a strawman!
Are you new to the internet?
Before and after VFX - spoilers obv.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlWiq84epH4&sns=em (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlWiq84epH4&sns=em)
Plus did you see the amount of face mask she was wearing?
Granted with BB8 near her home she wasn't wrapped up but I guess that was Post Meridian.
A society that can build lightsabres, droids, starships and landspeeders, replace lost limbs with perfectly functioning prosthetics, project free-standing holograms and break the lightspeed barrier surely can also conquer sunburn.
.
I enjoyed the film a lot and found nothing much to complain about. Even the unlikely coincidences in the plot could be satisfactorily explained in my mind by the force awakening.
.
Irrelevantly: that sequence at the end - You-Know-Who looked a lot like Oliver Reed...
Rey couldn't afford food but she can afford space sunscreen? That makes even less sense.
Clearly her addition is an attempt by the social justice warriors to shoehorn white people into an otherwise diverse film.
Quote from: Steve Green on 13 January, 2016, 11:11:35 PM
Before and after VFX - spoilers obv.
Currently embargoed, apparently. Supposedly available later today. (http://io9.gizmodo.com/vfx-reel-shows-just-how-they-created-some-of-the-force-1752832430)
Cheers!
Jim
Quote from: Scolaighe Ó'Bear on 14 January, 2016, 09:50:56 AM
Clearly her addition is an attempt by the social justice warriors to shoehorn white people into an otherwise diverse film.
Sometimes the Prof makes getting up in the morning worthwhile.
Up and working now.. Mighty impressive stuff.
New trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 2.5
https://youtu.be/LJyxPDEvo9U (https://youtu.be/LJyxPDEvo9U)
I'm still sticking with my Ezra is Snoke theory. At least until it is disproved in one of the movies. :D
Rebels was never realy on my radar...until now, chuffing heck that looks good fun!
Quote from: 8-Ball on 15 January, 2016, 09:11:41 PM
New trailer for Star Wars Rebels season 2.5
https://youtu.be/LJyxPDEvo9U (https://youtu.be/LJyxPDEvo9U)
I'm still sticking with my Ezra is Snoke theory. At least until it is disproved in one of the movies. :D
I'd be more interested watching those if they made them as realistic as the animated
Beowulf movie from a few years back. Which was on cable the other night. I did sort of watch that after all the talk here about new
Beowulf : Return to the something on
ITV (SO I won't watching this for good while!) on another thread.
Kylo Ren became Undercover Boss
http://youtu.be/FaOSCASqLsE (http://youtu.be/FaOSCASqLsE)
That's great stuff, a lovely production. Only... I can actually see Kylo doing exactly this, the needy little so-and-so. Added to the personal canon.
might go and see it again soon and having read the "before the awakening" book am satisfied with reys piloting skills which she learned from fixing a salvaged computer and ran simulations learning to fly through that (I imagine it was boring on the planet)
Watched it. Great Star Wars film. Want more.
V
I hadn't even thought that if people have a problem with Rey, they must also surely have a problem with Anakin flying a starfighter and saying "This is podracing" NO IT'S NOT THERE IS A WHOLE NEW AXIS HERE OH JESUS.
Of course that is really only an issue because I couldn't stand a kid character in Star Wars, especially when I was a kid....
Think I am going to have to start watching Rebels now.
Quote from: Theblazeuk on 17 January, 2016, 11:37:31 PM
I hadn't even thought that if people have a problem with Rey, they must also surely have a problem with Anakin flying a starfighter and saying "This is podracing" NO IT'S NOT THERE IS A WHOLE NEW AXIS HERE OH JESUS.
Of course that is really only an issue because I couldn't stand a kid character in Star Wars, especially when I was a kid....
Think I am going to have to start watching Rebels now.
I rather enjoyed the first series of Rebels, even with the (cartoon) kid character, but I'm kind of with you on kid actors, although I have been pleasantly surprised on occasion.
In the case of Anakin, I don't think many viewers thought the naboo fighter scene that great, did they? I know I wasn't that keen on it, even taking into account it went into orbit on autopilot. I'd take Rey's piloting over Ani's any day. Which is no doubt your point.
Turns out that a teaser for Rogue One has made its way out to t'internet....think its been out a while though, and is probably faked:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5zVuuHBQA
Unfortunately, it looks like it's another fecking Death Star involved.
Quote from: DaveGYNWA on 19 January, 2016, 10:07:47 AM
Turns out that a teaser for Rogue One has made its way out to t'internet....think its been out a while though, and is probably faked:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd5zVuuHBQA
Unfortunately, it looks like it's another fecking Death Star involved.
The film is about a rebel faction stealing the plans for the first Death Star which end up hidden in Artoo in A New Hope.
Quote from: DaveGYNWA on 19 January, 2016, 10:07:47 AM
Unfortunately, it looks like it's another fecking Death Star involved.
Looks real. Erm the film is prequel to A New Hope as it about a band of Rebel fighters comes together to carry out a desperate mission to steal the plans for the Death Star.
That's a 2-fer.
(http://www.ynwa.tv/public/style_emoticons/default/hooked.gif)
Sorry guys.
As the destrution of the Death Star(s) has been dealt with already (three times) and this is actually about getting the plans, I'm hoping it will essentially be a kind of Star Wars heist movie at heart. That would be fine with me.
Well this is teaser concept art of what Rogue One looks like;
(http://totalgeeks.ryanlestonfreela.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Rogue-One-Plot-600x340.jpg)
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 January, 2016, 04:54:58 PM
As the destrution of the Death Star(s) has been dealt with already (three times) and this is actually about getting the plans, I'm hoping it will essentially be a kind of Star Wars heist movie at heart. That would be fine with me.
Ocean's Rogue One?
Quote from: von Boom on 19 January, 2016, 05:09:38 PM
Ocean's Rogue One?
Yep they are very handsome...
(http://cdn.idigitaltimes.com/sites/idigitaltimes.com/files/2015/08/24/rogue-one-star-wars.jpeg)
Didn't that trailer leak months ago, as I've seen that before and thought that the Death Star was gonna wreck that planet, being so close to it!
Quote from: von Boom on 19 January, 2016, 05:09:38 PM
Quote from: Mardroid on 19 January, 2016, 04:54:58 PM
As the destrution of the Death Star(s) has been dealt with already (three times) and this is actually about getting the plans, I'm hoping it will essentially be a kind of Star Wars heist movie at heart. That would be fine with me.
Ocean's Rogue One? Oseon's Eleven.
FTFY.
Quote from: Goaty on 19 January, 2016, 05:13:22 PM
Quote from: von Boom on 19 January, 2016, 05:09:38 PM
Ocean's Rogue One?
Yep they are very handsome...
(http://cdn.idigitaltimes.com/sites/idigitaltimes.com/files/2015/08/24/rogue-one-star-wars.jpeg)
Clearly the Empire has outlawed primary colours in the new canon.
Green leads to amber, amber leads to beige and beige leads to suffering.
Bothan's Eleven.
Quote from: Steve Green on 19 January, 2016, 05:46:25 PM
Bothan's Eleven.
As a kid I thought she said "many boffins died" which I always thought was quite disrespectful to the recently killed brainboxes.
Quote from: Steve Green on 19 January, 2016, 05:46:25 PM
Bothan's Eleven.
Ha that was link to Death Star Mk 2 in Return of the Jedi.
Finally seen it yesterday. Visually impressive but plot didn't really grip me. The wee girl was quite good as was Kolo and the space fascist general dude. Z
Quote from: Goaty on 19 January, 2016, 05:58:23 PM
Quote from: Steve Green on 19 January, 2016, 05:46:25 PM
Bothan's Eleven.
Ha that was link to Death Star Mk 2 in Return of the Jedi.
They're re-used the Death Star enough frigging times, who's to say they won't use the Bothans again?
'Star Wars: Episode VIII' Release Date Shifts to December 2017
http://collider.com/star-wars-episode-viii-release-date/
I don't think I ever believed SW would be out summer 2017. They've successfully repositioned SW as a Christmas event, like LotR before them, and a little extra time to cut out all those pesky snowspeeder chases and lovingly designed alien characters can't hurt. And while I know Abrams has ruled out an Extended Edition of TFA, there's a little more time for that too.
Quote from: JOE SOAP on 20 January, 2016, 08:46:12 PM
'Star Wars: Episode VIII' Release Date Shifts to December 2017
http://collider.com/star-wars-episode-viii-release-date/
Hah - I had assumed it was going to be December 2017 anyway. Like Tords mentions below, I though they had set themselves up as a new Christmas tradition.
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 January, 2016, 05:09:18 AM
And while I know Abrams has ruled out an Extended Edition of TFA, there's a little more time for that too.
Released just before the new film comes out......
And as to the new film; I thought it was coming out Christmas 2017 as well, so business as usual.
Like that trailer for Rogue One (it is real, isn't it?). Kinda excited by the idea of these stand alone SW films.
I most probably wont like them when I actually get to see them, but hey...
Probably good or bad news for Star Wars nerds depending on how protective/precious they are about the old EU, as current scuttlebutt is that for the third season of Rebels, [spoiler]Grand Admiral Thrawn[/spoiler] will be the main villain.
Watched a couple episodes of that the other day.....I don't see that it could ever be worse.
I really like Rebels. :-\
It's not exactly breaking new ground, though. It seems like something from the mid-80s at times, with most plots being about the "scary" villains being made to look ineffective and foolish by plucky kiddiwinks and their cuddly alien/droid sidekicks and forced and largely unfunny banter. I know I mock Clone Wars a lot because of some its barmy ideas like bringing back Darth Maul or doing three episodes in a row about banking fraud, but it certainly couldn't be accused of doing the same plot over and over.
I'm a big fan of Rebels, I think it's superb show - the recent Season 2 episodes Relics of the Old Republic and Stealth Strike are two of most entertaining pieces of pure Star Wars fun produced in years, merging elements and visuals of the Clone Wars cartoon and the OT films beautifully. However, there's no denying that it is a full-on nostalgia fest, playing on the heartstrings of fans of McQuarrie, as well as both the aforementioned series, and thus hitting several generations at once, which is the obvious Disney plan. It's also, despite occasional shocking moments, squarely aimed at a young audience. This is a Good Thing - but the combination does come with limitations, the light plots and retro feels in particular. The larger stories that are bubbling under at the moment may well address much of this: for identical issues, see The Force Awakens.
On the other hand, the Boy and I recently did a weekend marathon rewatch of the first three seasons of Clone Wars, and after a year or so of Rebels I was really impressed by the huge scope and ambition of TCW, not to mention the animation. For all its flaws, it stands up remarkably well.
Hehe...
A new lego game of Star Wars Force Awakens...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EESiEO5D-PM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EESiEO5D-PM)
I have been hard on The Force Awakens, but its existence is now justified.
(https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfa1/v/t1.0-9/12644881_10153585344487600_6478831106397331291_n.jpg?oh=e7ed685b4e3c952f416452013066b60d&oe=573EC0A5)
Seriously Molch-r weres the like button.
Arsom.
That's just brilliant.
(http://i.imgur.com/Q4iZrYx.jpg)
Gold. :D
Just when you think this thread can't get any better. :lol:
Going to a second viewing of this tomorrow with the kids, looking forward to relaxing and watching it without being nervous about the quality.
I think this is the first time I've ever seen a film at the cinema more than once.
Quote from: Satanist on 11 February, 2016, 05:06:33 PM
Going to a second viewing of this tomorrow with the kids, looking forward to relaxing and watching it without being nervous about the quality.
I enjoyed it a lot more the second time.
Cheers!
Jim
Me too, far, far more. Enjoy.
Although I think the third time was my favourite, that may be because we went Imax 3D, and it was the best quality picture I have ever seen - the nose-on shot of the Star Destroyer hanging over the audience was simply extraordinary. I tried my best to take advantage of the crispness and size of screen to peer at what was going on in the background, but kept getting drawn back to the characters - which is to its credit.
Just realised I haven't posted on this thread.
I enjoyed it. I think I will do so more once I see it without needing to take a small boy to the toilet every ten minutes. And it was interesting that the bit in the bar cellar was terrifying for my eight year old.
Anyhow, in a mild geek out, I'm going to throw out the speculation my boys and I had in the car on the way back. We think:
1. Luke is the prophesised one who will bring balance to the force. No suprise there, but it means that he is neither light side nor dark, but in the middle. He wants to join the two into one force that reflects the universe rather than have it light or dark. (Think of it like alignment in D&D, where light = good and dark = evil. Luke wants the force to be true neutral).
2. As such, Luke wants to bring down both the light side and the dark.
3. He tried to teach Kylo/ Ben this philosophy and, in doing, do left him tormented and torn between light and dark. See, for example, how he speaks when he talks to his father. Not everyone can be as zen as Luke and so they tilt one way or the other.
4. Luke deliberately tried to open Ben to the Dark Side and the chat about him Ben being turned by a bad guy to the Dark Side is like Obi Wan saying Vader killed Luke's father; true "from a certain point of view" (and I'd bet these words are used by Luke to explain his actions). Ben/ Kylo found Snokes as a post-Luke mento but hasn't yet been trained by Snokes.
5. I don't think Luke is Snokes. I think that Luke will battle Snokes, and that Ren will battle Kylo as she sides with him. She is zen enough.
6. Willing to bet that episode 9, following the previous film's naming conventions (first episode descriptive, second one an action and the third one possessive) is "The Balance of the Force".
Of course I will be wrong, but sometimes it's nice to have a pub-like chat about what you think with fellow geeks.
Interesting ideas Dr X. To be honest I'd be quite happy to see things develop along those lines.
Be nice if I bothered to proof read, mind.
Well we all went for a second viewing and yes its much better to just relax and enjoy the film. Still not keen on Snoke or some of the dialogue but damn does it look like Star Wars should and THAT scene still hit me right in the feels even though I knew what was coming.
So whens this hit home release so I can watch it again?
18th April apparently! I almost pre-ordered, but oddly there's no 3D Bluray and that's what I'm after. Odd that it's not listed so am suspicious that it'll appear down the line, holding off.
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2016, 03:28:58 PM
18th April apparently! I almost pre-ordered, but oddly there's no 3D Bluray and that's what I'm after. Odd that it's not listed so am suspicious that it'll appear down the line, holding off.
3D disc out for Xmas apparently!
Disney are short of dosh, so they need us to buy it twice! :lol:
Quote from: dweezil2 on 04 March, 2016, 03:52:15 PM
Quote from: Keef Monkey on 04 March, 2016, 03:28:58 PM
18th April apparently! I almost pre-ordered, but oddly there's no 3D Bluray and that's what I'm after. Odd that it's not listed so am suspicious that it'll appear down the line, holding off.
3D disc out for Xmas apparently!
Disney are short of dosh, so they need us to buy it twice! :lol:
Ah good to know! I can wait until then. Maybe.
Oooohhh
https://youtu.be/MaYv3Y8tyoQ (https://youtu.be/MaYv3Y8tyoQ)
oooh indeedy!
dammit more stormtroopers to collect
and apparently a full trailer tomorrow!
to correct meself...different info across sites some say teaser some say full trailer...we will see.
Pre-ordered my DVD of TFA today.
Its meant to be delivered on the day it is released, 18th April.
Can't wait to sit down and watch it with my Star Wars obsessed 6 year old.
Quote from: Magnetica on 08 April, 2016, 07:53:59 PM
Can't wait to sit down and watch it with my Star Wars obsessed 6 year old.
My daughter, also 6, really wants to see it and is normally okay with scary stuff and loves the first three BUT I was thinking it might be a little scarey for her? Maybe I'm over thinking it?
My six year old watched it happily three times in the cinema, and she doesn't much like scary stuff (unless it's dinosaurs eating people). The climactic bit on the walkway causes a bit of hands-over-the-eyes, but then it does for me too.
I'm contemplating the digital download option at the moment, which would be a first for me - we don't have a Blu-ray player, and I suspect I'd get as much value from it on the various portable gadgets.
Quote from: Tordelback on 09 April, 2016, 08:51:19 AM
My six year old watched it happily three times in the cinema, and she doesn't much like scary stuff (unless it's dinosaurs eating people). The climactic bit on the walkway causes a bit of hands-over-the-eyes, but then it does for me too.
Okay cool. At least if I do it will stop the badgering!
As ever, you know your own daughter best, don't be listening to my drivel. I have a hard enough time working out what will and won't suitmy own - both kids adored Flubber last night, which has one of the most inappropriate character deaths I've ever seen.
I find it can be a bit random.
My son was scared by the Paddington film a year ago (he was just under 5 at the time) but my younger daughter didn't bat an eyelid. My son also found Inside Out scary.
As to the Force Awakens, he was fine with it, the most scary bit for him being when the ground opens up between Ren and Finn.
(BTW when you say they love the first 3, do you mean 4,5 & 6?).
Quote from: Magnetica on 09 April, 2016, 09:13:42 AM
(BTW when you say they love the first 3, do you mean 4,5 & 6?).
Well of course I do. You mean there are others? I was trying to work out how the scariness correlates. Both my 4 and 6 year old have watched the proper trilogy (though not maybe in order and I don't think they've ever seen any of them in one sitting!) and my 6 year old was fine with them. Sid whose four looked a little nervous at bits in Empire but didn't say anything negative afterwards. For some reason though when I saw TFA I thought it was a little more... something. Maybe it was the beastie on Han's space ship thing? Maybe it was Gollum thingie. Not sure but came out thinking 'Well I can't take the kids to that.' - though that might just have been me not wanting to sit through it again.
I'm currently letting them watch The Avengers - though in installations cos I'm sure there's scarey bits in that and I'm trying to keep ahead of them!
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 09 April, 2016, 11:00:32 AM
...that might just have been me not wanting to sit through it again.
With that in mind, I'll still probably go to see this.
Whilst I am a fan of the original trilogy, its really only the first Star Wars (ANH) that I care about. So owt set in that time-frame, will be of interest.
Hoping to be surprised, but most likely I'll not think much of it.
Must be my age...
I hope all the dads on the thread know that they have to let their sprogs watch Superman 3 at least once so they can become as traumatised as the rest of us.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 09 April, 2016, 11:00:32 AM
Quote from: Magnetica on 09 April, 2016, 09:13:42 AM
(BTW when you say they love the first 3, do you mean 4,5 & 6?).
Well of course I do. You mean there are others? I
Yeah sorry dumb question I know. It's just at one point my son said his favourite film was something called "Attack of the Clones".
I didn't understand that at all.
I believe has now seen the light and likes episode 4 the most.
enjoying all the extras on my force awakens blu ray!
Finally watched TFA on Blu-Ray last night. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I have kept off this thread til today, but have now caught up on most of the viewpoints expressed I think. Spoiler tags on some major points, though I expect we must all have seen it by now?
I have been a huge Star Wars fan from my childhood, but despised the appalling prequels and a lot of the tacky merchandising (and the fact we can't get 'un-special' versions of the original trilogy any more), so pretty much lost interest years ago.
Very hard to balance the utter joys of seeing a brand new legitimate SW film with the inadequacies of the plot on an intellectual level. A lot of the same ground seems to have been covered up-thread, so I won't go over them again, suffice to say...
Light Side
Meeting the old characters again (esp, Han and Leia), in a world which got the mise en scène spot on, especially with the cuts and music was great—I'm very thankful for it. [spoiler]And I confess that I cried at the end when we saw Luke.[/spoiler] Loved the look, the vibe, the energy, the disowning of the prequels. Love Girls so am a big Adam Driver fan. Thought he was very, very good.
Liked the way humour was used, and the portrayals of Finn and Rey, though confess their names made me keep thinking of Sinister Dexter. Has no-one else here picked up on that...?
Dark Side
The First Order seemed disproportionally big compared to the Resistance. This didn't seem to echo what had happened at the end of RotJ when, y'know, the Rebellion actually won. And where did Snoke come from—why didn't we see him 30 years ago?—and what purpose did his presence serve?
A smaller more guerilla-like enemy emerging within a new Alliance-led Arcadia could have been more compelling, and resonant, and given the film-makers a new visual palette. It's not like the film needed all the Stormtroopers we saw in that Nuremberg Rally scene, as they just got blown up. Again.
As has been said before, a climax around another Death Star ultimately proved very underwhelming, and when it blew up that star system there was no emotional impact whatsoever. Indeed, in the briefing room at the rebel base (which, in comparison to the enemy's entire mecha-planet, looked like it was set up at a car boot sale somewhere on Cannock Chase) they just seemed to make a joke about it, as some kind of self-aware justification.
[spoiler]Han didn't have to die (or appear to die) in this way. It's only real purpose was to set up another micro family saga (Han/Leia/Ren), which given the scale of the SW universe, and the Anakin/Luke/Vader precedent, is a bit boring and meant his death lacked pathos. Also, the foreshadowing of the direction meant that what should have been a hugely devastating and culturally-significant moment came off as a bit perfunctory. Adding to the somewhat ho-hum feeling of his execution was the fact that the film's verisimilitude had already at this point been compromised by Poe Dameron's incredulous resurrection, so we didn't really believe Han was killed anyway. A huge mis-step imho.[/spoiler]
(As as aside, the wonderful Show Me a Hero is perhaps my favourite TV series of recent years, so it was a little odd seeing Oscar Isaac as a kick-ass hero).
There were too many coincidences; too many shortcuts from A to B. And I know that kind of thing goes back to Shakespeare and Dickens, and that you need to take liberties to advance the plot (it's what they call storytelling) but a smaller world could have reduced the reliance on these massive themes and huge leaps of faith. It's the little things that make real drama—sometimes one decision, a lie or a locked door are all you need. Similarly, the MacGuffin was so blatant that it made things seem very procedural.
--
That's unbalanced and unfair. It's a shame I've written far more about the things I disliked. I really don't want to come across like that. I respect everything the creators tried to do, and acknowledge how difficult it must have have been with so many conflicting pressures ie. new fans, old fans, kids, adults, shareholders, extended universe, addressing the prequels, deadlines etc.
I love that TFA exists, I am grateful that people made that happen and that we live in a world where 30 years later we get to see Han, Leia and Luke again. Overall, it is an overwhelmingly positive, emotional, exciting and delightful experience brimming with potential—but one that in terms of its core story, gets more things wrong than right, to the point of diluting some of the magic that the film otherwise conjures up in all of its other aspects.
I don't know about "disowning" the prequels, as there are quite a few links and callbacks, as well as lifting an entire story arc from
The Phantom Menace.
Quote from: Banners on 20 April, 2016, 10:51:19 AM
[spoiler]Han didn't have to die (or appear to die) in this way. It's only real purpose was to set up another micro family saga (Han/Leia/Ren), which given the scale of the SW universe, and the Anakin/Luke/Vader precedent, is a bit boring and meant his death lacked pathos. Also, the foreshadowing of the direction meant that what should have been a hugely devastating and culturally-significant moment came off as a bit perfunctory. Adding to the somewhat ho-hum feeling of his execution was the fact that the film's verisimilitude had already at this point been compromised by Poe Dameron's incredulous resurrection, so we didn't really believe Han was killed anyway. A huge mis-step imho.[/spoiler]
[spoiler]My problem wasn't so much that Han died as that he went out like such a punk it's hard to be convinced it's supposed to stick - especially given that Luke also got clobbered with a lightsaber in ESB and then dropped from a huge height and it didn't set him back much in the long run either, and if there's one thing TFA makes clear, it's that
it is very keen to repeat elements from other Star Wars films.[/spoiler]
Some interesting points about TFA.
I think the film makers were in an almost impossible position when it came to judging the balance between old and new. I think they got it about right.
There are undoubtedly some problems with the story but I thought [spoiler]the death of Han was handled really well. He was always a big softy despite himself, that was his weakness and ultimately it's what done for him. There's no way he's coming back.[/spoiler]
I agree that the destroyed planets didn't have much of an impact but then neither did Alderaan really.
It's just a film. A film based on other films which were, in turn, inspired by Saturday morning serials of the 30's and 40's like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon. That's how I watch them, anyway, just for entertainment. There are good bits and bad bits and meh bits in all of them and I enjoy all of them, even the much maligned Episode I, in that light.
As for the death of the Emperor reducing the Empire to a handful of stormtroopers on a few worlds, I don't think that would be the case. The Emperor may be gone, and his Death Star and some of the Imperial Fleet, but the main apparatus of the Empire would still be intact. Others would quickly step in to take the reigns of the Imperial State. Gollum might be Lando Calrissian engaged in one of his schemes that got out of hand :lol: .
The only bit of TFA I didn't like was our heroes seeing the Destructo-Beam passing the planet they were on as it made its way to the planet it was aimed at. Unless the planet they were on was in the same system that really didn't make much sense to me and was one coincidence too many (most of the other coincidences I could put down to the Force awakening and somehow arranging things in an omnipotent way to facilitate its own awakening, as it were).
Apart from that, yeah, I enjoyed it at least as much as all the others.
Disagree entirely about Alderaan. At the very least we know its importance in relation to Leia. At least she seems to be in real pain and shock about it. Simplistic maybe, and the story doesn't dwell on it for long but it does the job.
The similar scene in TFA is a total mess by comparison. All gravitas and dramatic weight that scene might have had is sacrificed for the (honestly) too fast pacing of the film in general. There is zero context given for where these planets are and why we should care, even what the Republic is and its relationship to the First Order and the Resistance. Hell, it isn't even clear why the First Order is going after them or even how many planets just got wiped out. None of the characters in the film seem to be remotely bothered by this supposedly horrifying turn of events, and it ultimately comes across as a cheap way to quickly push the reset button for the dynamic of powerful Empire/outnumbered band of rebels. And it is gratingly dumb that all these planets seem so close to each other that every character in the film can see it happen. It makes this apparently vast universe seem about the size of a shopping center car park. For me it represents the first real misstep or moment of Abramsism after what is a pretty great first hour.
Lets break it down a bit further:
In the original Star Wars, we are presented with the Empire, a nefarious regime that seeks to rule the galaxy through fear. They build a superweapon as a physical manifestation of this. They use it to destroy a planet known to be sympathetic to the rebel cause, then later attempt to use it to destroy the rebel base.
Again, its simple, broad-strokes storytelling. But it works.
In TFA we have the First Order. They are space nazis. Do they even control a population, or are they just like, a weird, free-floating army, a fascist regime governing nobody? Dunno, the film doesn't explain.
Why do they so despise the Republic? Why do they entirely destroy it? What was the point of that? What is the endgame here? What do they WANT? Dunno. The film doesn't give them any motivation beyond generally being evil. Generally factions in a conflict want something beyond just destroying their enemies.
None of it really makes any sense or makes for a compelling backdrop. This is not overthinking it, nor is it nitpicking. Its pretty basic storytelling stuff.
Also; Finn.
As likable a character as he is, does he really come across as someone who has been raised from birth by space nazis to be a genocidal killing machine?
Even if i let that slide, I still can't really get a handle on his character. Is he supposed to be a brave, loyal warrior, or a cowardly, incompetent goof? Because he exhibits both these characteristics over the course of the film with no rhyme or reason. One minute he's running from a fight, the next he's running headlong into a gun battle wielding a sword (another silly scene imo).
Like Rey, he's very inconsistently written, and also like her (and Poe), his thin character as written scrapes by on the immense charm and charisma of the actor playing him.
I actually don't think Finn, Rey or Poe would fare very well in the old Plinkett test (describe the character without mentioning their vocation or what they look like).
'Brave?' 'Funny?' Thats about all I can come up with.
The only one that I wouldn't struggle with would be Kylo Ren tbh.
I remember when young reading The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and in the excerpt wherein Pippin and Merry were captured by the Urks, one of them snarled something about no bed and breakfast. I always thought that this was contextually nonsense. How could an Orc who had no relationship with civilisation, be aware of what bed and breakfast was. I never got the sense that goblins went to the local B & B and chilled over smoked kippers and good coffee.
This sense of incongruity struck me several times in the Star Wars movie. How can you look up to the sky and see a transluminal death ray (no pun) travel from one targeting system to another target system, when you are standing in a third system? It's bady thought out stuff like this that I just don't get. Z
Quote from: radiator on 20 April, 2016, 05:48:49 PM
I actually don't think Finn, Rey or Poe would fare very well in the old Plinkett test (describe the character without mentioning their vocation or what they look like).
'Brave?' 'Funny?' Thats about all I can come up with.
The only one that I wouldn't struggle with would be Kylo Ren tbh.
Well Rey is plucky but hesitant. The former by nature and the latter by whatever conditioning she's been put through.
Similarly, Finn is compassionate, brave and perhaps even noble by nature but is haunted by his conditioning.
Finn and Rey are two engaging young people. The wee robot is to die for. The characterisation of most of the cast is perfect: Chewie, Han and especially Ren who exudes uncertainty, adolescence, pique etc. Z
Quote from: ZenArcade on 20 April, 2016, 05:58:56 PM
How can you look up to the sky and see a transluminal death ray (no pun) travel from one targeting system to another target system, when you are standing in a third system? It's bady thought out stuff like this that I just don't get. Z
Leaving aside that it's my main beef with the film and is the exact same problem I have with Spock witnessing the destruction of Vulcan in Abrams' other reboot, we have (a). Nothing in the film itself* to indicate that Takodana isn't actually in the Hosnian system (and why wouldn't Maz's cosmopolitan watering hole be in a key Republic system?) and (b). no idea of the effects the firing of a hyperspace weapon of that scale would have in real space - perhaps these are hyperspatial echoes, effectively superluminal mirages propagating through the spaceways?
*novelisations, guides and atlases, you say? I direct you to the hundreds of EU volumes mouldering in non-canon bedroom landfills.
As to the Plinkett test:
Rey is brave, compassionate and enthusiastic, but her confidence is dented by her abandonment. She is both driven and constrained by her desire for the bonds of family, but comes to realise that her best chance is to find a new one.
Finn is loyal but above all fearful, struggling with the realisation that his loyalty is terribly misplaced. He craves an earned version of the respect he mistakenly gets from Rey and Leia, and goes some way to redemption by the end.
Poe is self-assured, decisive, inspirational to those around him. He's leader and a doer,and a heckuva nice guy.
Ben is a terrifyingly unstable nutjob who overcompensates for his insecurity with tantrums and cruelty, and who deserves to die. This is what I want from a villain.
Quote from: The Legendary Shark on 20 April, 2016, 12:33:36 PM
It's just a film.
Its is, which is why it surprises me so much that people seem unable to see its an objectively bad one. I think Banners raises most of the issues I had with it and have raised here before. As ever Radiator takes an assessment of a film to the next level.
I get that people love it, I have no real problem with that, it just really surprises me as when watched as 'just a film' I'm sure its pretty easily exposed as a poor one.
That said that I think that matters diddly squat as its clearly brought a lot a people a lot of pleasure, and a few people a heap of dosh. So its a complete success in its two main aims!
I just really believe in few years when all the fuss has died down and there are now 6746437 films in the franchise people will stop, restock and conclude "Ohhh yeah I see what they mean now. That is a bit toss isn't it.". Even if they then think "Sod it its fun I'll watch it again."
It is a bit toss. The repetition of the superweapon is a misstep (although not a significant part of the film, more a familiar backdrop), as is the use of Tatooine Lite; the plot is all over the place, riddled with daft coincidences built on dafter coincidences; the political situation and its implications are badly fluffed; Snoke doesn't come across well at all. But there's more than enough left after that to make it a fun, engaging film with strong characters and performances, and a promising new beginning. It's clever and stupid at the same time - but objectively bad? I don't think so.
DJ's right. I'm revisiting the SW franchise since buying the Force Awakens DVD. Watched the Phantom Menace last night. Weirdly it is the anti Force Awakens. It has in the main unsympathetic characters with a few exceptions, but thematically actually tries to do something original. Weird. Z
1999: "The worst thing about Phantom Menace is that it's just a cash cow to Lucas."
2015: "The best thing about The Force Awakens is that it's a real cash cow for Disney."
The Silver Stormtrooper should have had a bigger role. There's a whole subplot missing at the end where Silver should have been chasing Whatshername while she was looking for Thingybobs.
Well, I enjoyed it. Was it THE BEST FILM EVER? Not by a long shot, but it was an amusing popcorn flick that had some decent characters and lovely direction, and held together a lot better than, say, the last Avengers film.
(Mind you, I wonder how much Star Wars trades on nostalgia. When Mrs IP and I watched the original trilogy a couple of years ago, we had fun, but they felt a bit clunky in many ways. We enjoyed BTTF more on the whole.)
I thoroughly enjoyed the film. Is it as good as the original three? Of course not. If taken on it's own merits it was one of the best sci-fi films of recent years.
However, as a Star Wars film, there was one thing that really really pissed me off. Han died, and when Chewie and Rey returned to base, who got the hugs? Rey!! WTF!!! She'd known him a few hours by that point!! What about Han's lifelong buddy and comrade in arms? He got sod all!!!
Poor Chewie.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2016, 10:30:26 AM
What about Han's lifelong buddy and comrade in arms? He got sod all!!!
Poor Chewie.
My main gripe was the fact that even though Han and Chewie have known each other for years (life debt, and all that jazz) when Han [spoiler]Dies[/spoiler] Chewie doesn't go right off the deep end, instead he [spoiler]shoots one feeble shot at Darth Hijab[/spoiler] and then pretty much does Fuck all.
Beware the raging Wookies!
Cheers
I enjoyed it too the lead actors were very good and the moment they introduced the Millennium Falcon once again was very nostalgic and funny. Plot holes were certainly there but didn't distract me to much. Wouldn't Poe shoot Finn as soon as he was released or thought he could get away? A prisoner is hardly going to be filled with trust to an enemy who tortured him but despite these it barreled along nicely with grim mercenaries, cthulian beasts and Han and Chewie turning up before the final battle against the First Order. Well executed fun but I feel the Star Trek films JJ Abbrams did are slightly better.
And Han's never fired Chewie's crossbow before? Not even at tin cans on a fence on some backwater planet to while away a long, boring afternoon waiting for some other rascals to show up?
Star Wars films are fun. I like them on that level. On higher levels, I really dislike them - the same way I have fun watching Marvel films but dislike them on higher levels as well. Other films I don't have fun watching but enjoy on higher levels, like, for instance, Chinatown.
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2016, 10:30:26 AM
Han died, and when Chewie and Rey returned to base, who got the hugs? Rey!! WTF!!! She'd known him a few hours by that point!! What about Han's lifelong buddy and comrade in arms? He got sod all!!!
When they got back to Da'Qar we see that Chewie was attending to the gravely wounded Finn, just as Finn had tended to him on the Falcon. I'd expect no less of him. I'm sure there were plenty of hugs later, but let's keep this thing moving along!
At the landing pad Leia and Rey were sharing the grief of the only two Force-sensitives there (although I concede this scene is probably a leftover snippet from a different version of the plot). And did Luke know Ben any longer in ANH than Rey did Han in TFA?
As to Chewie's reaction to Han's death, he landed a good shot on Han's son (which must have been hard for him, especially as in the EU at least the life-debt would have transfered to Ben on Han's death), and then went beserk and nailed half a dozen stormtroopers - it was hardly nothing. And then despite his grief he went to rescue Rey and Finn. Attaboy, Chewie, I say.
The Han never-firing-the-bowcaster bit was a conceit, sure, although I don't think he ever did in the EU either. But then Chewie didn't even have it with him on screen until Hoth...
Maybe Han hid it because Chewie wouldn't let him use it...
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 April, 2016, 12:09:46 PM
The Han never-firing-the-bowcaster bit was a conceit, sure, although I don't think he ever did in the EU either. But then Chewie didn't even have it with him on screen until Hoth...
A minor point, but here he is in A New Hope with his bowcaster.
(http://img.lum.dolimg.com/v1/images/databank_bowcaster_01_169_475a4a3b.jpeg?region=0%2C49%2C1560%2C780)
While we're here, perhaps this touching mini comic story explains Chewie's poor aim in TFA.
http://m.imgur.com/u7HcWOx
Quote from: shaolin_monkey on 21 April, 2016, 07:00:17 PM
Quote from: Tordelback on 21 April, 2016, 12:09:46 PM
The Han never-firing-the-bowcaster bit was a conceit, sure, although I don't think he ever did in the EU either. But then Chewie didn't even have it with him on screen until Hoth...
A minor point, but here he is in A New Hope with his bowcaster.
That's a publicity shot IIRC - when would that scene have happened? But apologies, I completely misspoke in the first place - Chewie doesn't
fire his bowcaster in ANH. He does of course tote it around on Tatooine.
And yeah, that comic nails it completely.
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
To be fair, a laser sword probably wouldn't quite get the range a rifle would either.
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
laser + object = AWESOME
I defy you to find anything that lasers don't make more awesome. ;)
The movie Freejack.
Quote from: von Boom on 29 April, 2016, 12:22:24 PM
laser + object = AWESOME
I defy you to find anything that lasers don't make more awesome. ;)
That's a challenge to think about...
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
Never mind that whats the point of Stormtrooper armour? It appears to offer zero protection and impairs vision.
Quote from: Satanist on 29 April, 2016, 01:39:33 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
Never mind that whats the point of Stormtrooper armour? It appears to offer zero protection and impairs vision.
One of the daftest things in the fairly daft TFA was the revelation that the helmets don't even protect from toxic gas. Some uniform supplier is getting an easy ride there.
Quote from: von Boom on 29 April, 2016, 12:22:24 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
laser + object = AWESOME
I defy you to find anything that lasers don't make more awesome. ;)
Alderaan?
I'll get my coat.
QuoteOne of the daftest things in the fairly daft TFA was the revelation that the helmets don't even protect from toxic gas. Some uniform supplier is getting an easy ride there.
That whole scene is really overcomplicated when it could have, should have, been really simple. And after all that they don't even use the gas in the end do they?
Quoteone thing that really really pissed me off....Chewie and Rey returned to base, who got the hugs? Rey!! WTF!!!
It's just a hunch, and I could well be wrong, but my assumption is that when they wrote and/or filmed that scene, Rey was still intended to be Han and Leia's daughter - hence the emotional reunion.
QuoteWell Rey is plucky but hesitant
Firstly, those are character traits, but do not, on their own, add up to a well-defined character. And don't you see that the precise
reason for her hesitance is never made clear, merely hinted at in incredibly vague terms? So in that sense her characterisation is actually pretty muddy. The film desperately needed to decide on an origin for Rey, because deliberately keeping everything about her shrouded in ambiguity and mystery hurts her motivation. Both Finn and Rey have 'refusing the call to action' scenes, but both feel very arbitrary to me and fail to convince.
I rewatched TFA the other day. Its still a fun movie, despite its rather major problems. Surprised that I haven't heard any criticsim of that horribly-written exposition-dump of a scene between Han and Leia towards the end. The performances by both of them are about as good as could have been reasonably hoped for, but man the writing in that scene is just wretched.
Overall the film is very guilty of 'tell, don't show'. At one point Kylo reads Rey's mind and says something about her feeling like Han is 'the father she never had' and I'm like 'steady on, guys!'. She has literally
just met the guy. At the most they are in the very earliest stages of a mentor/mentee relationship. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. There was a great review on
Birth. Movies. Death. when the film came out that very astutely pointed out how Abrams, as a filmmaker, always takes these kind of narrative shortcuts. He wants to show us the big dramatic moments, but doesn't want to do the legwork to fully earn them.
Happy Rogue One day, everybody.
May the fourth be with you !
(https://i.imgur.com/APF3UeG.gif)
Good grief, the 'Disney is shoving feminism down our throats' crowd are still chundering on on every SW forum. Y'all could use a good feed of feminism. I love that they can fit a full list of the 'so many' SF films with strong female leads into a single tweet, and still have room for #reyisamarysue and #notasexist.
"Actually, it's about ethics in sequel plotting". Urge to kill rising.
How exactly is Disney shoving feminism down our throats, according to idiots? Is it purely by having a female co-lead? I mean, it was nice to see some women in Force Awakens, but it wasn't exactly the new Ghostbusters in that regard. The vast majority of the new and classic characters were still male.
Quote from: von Boom on 29 April, 2016, 12:22:24 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 28 April, 2016, 09:40:19 PM
What is the point of a laser crossbow anyway? Can't see it adds anything over a laser rifle.
If anything it's just more awkward.
laser + object = AWESOME
I defy you to find anything that lasers don't make more awesome. ;)
preparation h
Quote from: Tordelback on 05 May, 2016, 01:17:57 PM
Good grief, the 'Disney is shoving feminism down our throats' crowd are still chundering on on every SW forum. Y'all could use a good feed of feminism. I love that they can fit a full list of the 'so many' SF films with strong female leads into a single tweet, and still have room for #reyisamarysue and #notasexist.
"Actually, it's about ethics in sequel plotting". Urge to kill rising.
Yeah. I had someone on social media complaining about Rogue One seemingly having another female lead, and it was "Yawn - time for Star Wars to get a new idea."
Strangely, they weren't bored or complaining about Episodes 1-6 all having male leads.
I wasn't aware of any of that but just googled 'Star Wars feminist' to see what the fuss is about and Jesus fucking Christ! :o I watched a video review rant by some curly haired twat that made me want to punch him through my monitor
There is possibly a case to be made that sci-fi audiences just aren't quite as diverse as we'd like to believe, and that a paradigm shift in attitudes to support female-led sci-fi/action movies hasn't happened yet - I just don't think Star Wars fandom on the internet should be making it.
The nerd/geek community used to always accept that their lack of sexual attention was part of the natural order of the universe*, but since 'the geeks became cool' (c.f. a million media articles in the last 20 years), there are a lot of socaially inadequate child-men who assume it must be some kind of conspiracy that the babes don't like them.
* this was never actually true (except in my case), as can be seen by the number of 2000ad freaks here who are happily hooked up (even to burlesque dancers FFS)
Quote from: Dandontdare on 05 May, 2016, 09:09:39 PM
The nerd/geek community used to always accept that their lack of sexual attention was part of the natural order of the universe*, but since 'the geeks became cool' (c.f. a million media articles in the last 20 years), there are a lot of socaially inadequate child-men who assume it must be some kind of conspiracy that the babes don't like them.
* this was never actually true (except in my case), as can be seen by the number of 2000ad freaks here who are happily hooked up (even to burlesque dancers FFS)
I'm not really a fan of this geek community identification anyway. I don't like it when media is marketed towards a geek/nerd demographic (like those awful geek-box things full of tat).
Star Wars is for everyone. My dad really liked the new Star Wars film and he's certainly not a nerd.
The best stuff is popular across a wider audience anyway, by virtue of its quality. That's why everyone watches Game of Thrones and it isn't seen as a 'geek show' just because it has swords and magic in it.
It's also the reason why 2000ad gradually gained an older readership in the early 80s as people started to recognise the quality of the stories.
I saw something about them casting the new, young Han Solo.
It's a bloke.
So the wankers can't complain about that at least.
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 06 May, 2016, 12:36:59 PM
I saw something about them casting the new, young Han Solo.
I'd kind of been hoping it would be revealed out that Han was post-transition and his younger identity was actually Hannah Solo.
Cheers
Jim
Quote from: JamesC on 06 May, 2016, 06:55:42 AM
It's also the reason why 2000ad gradually gained an older readership in the early 80s as people started to recognise the quality of the stories.
Pretty sure that the reason 2000AD gradually gained an older readership is because that's when we started leaving childhood and entering adulthood. The quality of the stories would have been why people didn't stop reading, as they would have with other comics (though plenty of other quality comics - small 'q' - from the eighties died anyway).
Possibly, but from personal experience I know that Dad's were definitely reading 2000ad weekly after (or sometimes before) the kids had finished with it.
I don't think actual genre-loving geeks (as a set) have anything to do with the Internet's war on women: I think it's just pricks, and you get those everywhere.
Some of those pricks are geeks, unfortunately, and boy are geeks vocal. And SW geeks most vocal of all. But a mental survey of the nerds, geeks, dweebs and wastoids that I personally know leads me to the conclusion that sexist prickhood is underrepresented in that group. Just because we were loud and smelly undateables as young teens didn't mean we had a problem with women - and we certainly didn't stay that way.
Quote from: Tordelback on 06 May, 2016, 01:14:58 PM
I don't think actual genre-loving geeks (as a set) have anything to do with the Internet's war on women: I think it's just pricks, and you get those everywhere.
I'd easily characterise anyone who cares much about the Hugo awards - and, outside of the film and TV stuff, I've never heard of any of the written word nominees these days - as SF uber-nerds, and just look at the Sad Puppy and Rabid Puppy factions there, with their racist, misogynist, homophobic/anti-SJW [choose to suit personal tastes] agendas.
They may be pricks, but it's extremely hard to argue they're not genre fans first and foremost.
Aren't the booky Hugos a Special Case, though? I can't recall the entirety of the dramas over the years, but one of the more recent ones was when it became apparent that the reason some may not have heard of most of the nominees is because writers get their fans to organise and stuff the ballots. One blogger I used to read regularly found herself in the position of not having read a single nominated book but didn't want to read any of the shortlist because the writers were such unpleasant arseholes online.
I can't even begin on the ridiculousness of complaints about Rey...
No one complained about Luke and she's not got more skills than him...
Quote from: Bat King on 06 May, 2016, 08:46:30 PM
I can't even begin on the ridiculousness of complaints about Rey...
No one complained about Luke and she's not got more skills than him...
Really how many hands has she lost?
Still ridiculous though.
Well I'm about to got in again with the kids... wish me luck...
In my experience, there's no such thing as luck...
Quote from: Bat King on 06 May, 2016, 08:46:30 PM
I can't even begin on the ridiculousness of complaints about Rey...
No one complained about Luke and she's not got more skills than him...
Not being a fan my knowledge of the films is at best average. Saying that, I don't recall Luke being able to do anything force-related in STAR WARS until
after Ben showed him how to tap into it and even then it was once only. "No one complained" because blowing up the Death Star was as much due to the conceits of heroic fiction as it was any inherent ability Luke had.
Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 21 May, 2016, 01:16:05 PM
Well I'm about to got in again with the kids... wish me luck...
Uhhh hark on me quoting myself. Well it doesn't get better with age does it. Watched in the cold light of day its still an absolutely ridiculous bit of tosh dressed up as a fun thrill ride.
More importantly than this 44 year old man's thoughts my kids loved it... alas... means I'll sit through it again and once again get grumpy at the whole debacle. They're not sure if its as good as the originals and I've resisted the urge to point out its numerous problems, rather taking what little pleasure I can from them really enjoying it.
Not sure if this is my most Necros of these necros of late, but its pretty necro and I'm disturbed to see I'm the last to post here as well... like some weird stalker haunting a movie he hates, but secretly is utterly fixated on it...
...I'll not psychoanalyse myself as I might not like what I find.... ANYWAY...
Watched this again encouraged by enjoying both Rogue One and Solo more enjpoyable second (or more) time around and lo and behold ... still think this is tosh. Damnit.
I've looked back at my previous thoughts here and it all pretty much holds. I'm slightly less annoyed by the utterly wanky fan service that dominates. I guess forewarned is forarmed or some such. But its still fundamnetally a poorly written movie. I know Star Wars has a whole is littered with moments that require you to suspend belief, as coincidence collides with serendipity time and again but TFA takes this to a new level.
This leaves the whole thing with a sense that nothing is earned.
Finn can just walk up and rescue Poe now
Finn can then bump into Rey now
Oh look its the Millenium Falcon lets take that then
Don't worry Han just happens to be here
Ohhhh Luke's lightsaber is in the box
We can just pootle around the Deathstarsun Destory Base
Lets build Phasma up just to put a gun to her head so she flips the single turn off all the shields switch
Oh look there's Rey
Rey's red hot with force power now
And on and on and on and on and on. There's so many more of these. It just means the makers can get away with anything by just making the things that sort the problem happen - to a level I've never seen in a movie before. Or at least never been so poorly papered over in a movie before. Stories in all media do this all the time I accept, but never with such a lack of guile and craft in my memory. JJ's two best tricks are:
1) Don't worry about that here's a big explosion
2) Don't worry about that look heres a fanwank reference
Sigh I need to stop obsessing about this and just get a room don't I!
I like TFA for the characters, all of whom are just plain cute and funny, but heavens the plot is awful for all the reasons Colin cites. It's a JJ film, he just doesn't do plot.
There are so many moments where it feels like there should/could be a really interesting explanation for why people and things are where they are (and it feels like there was at some point or other version in the rushed development), but the very nice scenes have just been strung together in a line, and having there be any time expended on story logic isn't even a secondary consideration. The entire film is one long coincidence.
This is where TLJ exceeds its predecessor: with the exception of DJ's presence, who is a bit of a Sequel Lando red herring, the whole story spins out naturally from two simple premises.
Still enjoy TFA though, some terrific stuff in the mess, Gird's performance in particular.
"Gird"??? What kind of predictive text is this? Ford, obviously.
Oh and the other thing I forgot to whine about is the relationships aren't earnt either. Everyone becomes everyone they meets best friend in like 28 minutes of time together or something.
So Poe and Finn and all hugs and oh my gosh I'm so excited to you see after spending a frankly frantic for moments together most of which is spent shooting tie fighters.
Rey and Han bond over what is essentially a road trip of an hour or two.
Its all a bit unconvincing.
Ah I don't see really see that, OTT Bro-hugger is just the kind of guy Poe is, and the Han & Rey relationship gets as much time as Han & Luke or Luke & Ben get in ANH. Both Poe and Rey start the film desperate for any kind of positive relationship.
Quote from: TordelBack on 28 September, 2019, 01:39:10 PM
Ah I don't see really see that, OTT Bro-hugger is just the kind of guy Poe is
Yeah, I thought the bromance between those two was one of the few decent things in the movie.
They stole a T.I.E. fighter together, escaped and crashed in it (more or less) together. I think I'd become instant friends with virtually anybody who went through that with me.
I see it more as Poe having been captured by the worst monster in the galaxy, tortured, had his mind violated and his secret mission blown, with no hope of escape; then this supposedly brainwashed stormtrooper shows up and rescues him, turns out to be a lost child who hasn't even got a name, trusts him to get them both away, which Poe fails to do, and thinks the kid has died in the process. And then that kid turns out to have survived, recovered BB8 and completed Poe's mission - I think that's a good foundation for a friendship. Certainly worth a hug.
Yes, that too.
I can also cope with all the coincidences because it's the Force awakening, innit?
How does it go in ANH?
Han: "There's no mystical force controlling my destiny."
Obi Wan: (silently) "Heh."
I never see character A bumping into character B and them both having something in common as a problem. Isn't that how life and friendships work?
You're in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally you become heroes.
Having learned my lesson when I dared to suggest the space casino bits in TLJ were pointless, I now know the tentacle monsters bit in TFA is actually really good and fleshes out the world and political backdrop of the galaxy. Han Solo has fallen so far without his masculine status symbol the Millennial Falcon that he is forced to undertake sex trafficking of hentai monsters - it's a really great bit of world building that shows how both sides are as bad as each other or something.
The only point of the tentacle monsters in TFA was that all the OT movies have tentacle monsters (I'm counting the monster that ate R2 on Dagobah and the Space Slug as acceptable variants). As everyone hated the tentacle-free Prequels back then, it was reasonable to suppose that tentacle monsters were essential for popular success. TLJ was the control. I predict tentacle monsters in Rise of Skywalker.
On the basis that Solo has the biggest tentacle monster ever, and is the best SW film since RotJ, there may be some weight to this theory.
Hmm, tentacle monster in Rogue One too, for absolutely no discernible reason. Although personally I think hearing Forest Whitaker say "Bor Gullet" over and over was ample justification.
Forrest was just happy to be the one holding someone hostage and tied to a chair for a change.
"Did you ever hear the story of the scorpion and the toad?..."
Quote from: Tiplodocus on 28 September, 2019, 05:43:20 PM
I never see character A bumping into character B and them both having something in common as a problem. Isn't that how life and friendships work?
You're in the wrong place at the wrong time. Naturally you become heroes.
Damn! Where does that quote come from? Is it Alan Dean Foster's novelisation? Quoting Leia Organa?
From the prologue, yes, same as Palpatine's name. In the days before video that book got an awful lot of reading, sometimes I'd go straight back to the start as soon as I'd finished. To the extent that I still sometimes think of Luke as Blue Five, and am still convinced I saw Obi-Wan killed by Vader on the Death Star.
Quote from: TordelBack on 29 September, 2019, 12:49:24 PM
From the prologue, yes, same as Palpatine's name. In the days before video that book got an awful lot of reading, sometimes I'd go straight back to the start as soon as I'd finished. To the extent that I still sometimes think of Luke as Blue Five, and am still convinced I saw Obi-Wan killed by Vader on the Death Star.
Funny how that book stays with ya! I have sometimes wondered how I know all the Star Wars lore I do, without having an extensive 1970s/1980s Marvel comics collection* and 'the internet'. I guess most of it is from that one book, plus a few of the Kenner/Pallitoy names for otherwise un-named characters. Like, does Nien Numb's name ever get mentioned on screen?
* I have a few of the British annual-style collections, which edit a lot out, plus about four or five of the Return of the Jedi comic, which featured a more complete reprint, if I'd continued to buy them once I'd started getting the Eagle reprints of before-my-time Dredd.
Quote from: sheridan on 29 September, 2019, 03:19:47 PM
Like, does Nien Numb's name ever get mentioned on screen?
In fact, going just from what was shown on screen in the original film, would a viewer have known what a 'Jawa' or 'Tusken Raider' was? I'm obviously going to have to watch again to find out!
Before the 1990s, I'd have seen (in this order): The Empire Strikes Back once at the cinema, Return of the Jedi once at the cinema and Star Wars multiple times at my nan's house, as she had a copy videod from the TV. I may conceivably seen the 'TV version' once or twice before RotJ but the bulk would have been post holy trilogy.
There are reports about Kevin Feige being tipped to helm the Star Wars franchise. Is the Marvel maestro the right choice?
https://www.radiotimes.com/news/film/2019-09-29/chris-evans-brie-larson-star-wars/
I doubt he is going to take over Lucasfilm or Star Wars. I'd assume if he's going to make a big move it'll be up in the Disney ranks rather than sideways and he's already done/doing the whole cinematic universe thing, with F4 and X-Men still requiring a reboot – although his lieutenants will eventually take-over.
I surmise this is him wanting to make a Star Wars* film/films while he can, Lucasfilm needing to fulfill a release date but other productions not being ready, and the cachet and efficiency that a Feige produced film brings to Star Wars post Rise of Skywalker.
*apparently Star Wars is closer to his heart than Marvel.