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Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi

Started by TordelBack, 23 January, 2017, 04:29:12 PM

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CrazyFoxMachine

Quote from: TordelBack on 06 January, 2018, 02:16:34 PM
TLJ is now tied with TPM in my No. 4 spot, TPM mainly holding its ground due to the sheer amount of beautiful designs, and maybe Qui-Gon. On all other counts TLJ is the best thing since RotJ, with the possible exception of the Tartakovsky series.

Yeah, I'd go with that. Also - extra pudding for mentioning the phenomenal unforgettable (sadly non-canonical) Tartakovsky masterpieces.

TARTAKOVSKY GIF DUMP!







Colin YNWA

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 06 January, 2018, 02:16:05 PM

According to Neil Gaiman it was worked out...

Of course he was working out - he looked buff as Kylo and 20 years younger. When will everyone else acknowledge that Kylo is Gaiman?

GrudgeJohnDeed

Quote from: Big_Dave on 06 January, 2018, 02:10:22 PM
so its the writing you dont like
not being written in advance isnt why you dont like them

lucas made ot up as he went

I don't like a lot of the writing in TLJ, I'm just thinking about why it's written like it is, like whether TLJ would be better and the films would be in a better position in general if they'd been planned more. Or at least had one head writer with full oversight. I think they would be personally.

Quote from: JOE SOAP on 06 January, 2018, 02:16:05 PM
According to Neil Gaiman it was worked out to a certain point and he at least had an ending:

It would have ended up with Halo Jones upon some planet that is right at the absolute edge of the universe where, beyond that, beyond some sort of spectacular lightshow, there is no space, no time, and it would have ended up with Halo Jones – all the rest of the people on this planetoid because, actually, time is not passing; you could stay there forever, potentially – and what would have happened is that Halo Jones, after spending some time with the rest of the immortals, would have tottered across the landing field, got into her spacecraft, and flown into the psychedelic lightshow, to finally get out. And that would have been the ending.

http://www.3ammagazine.com/3am/boy-from-the-boroughs/3/

Thanks for that! I wish it'd get finished :'(

Quote from: TordelBack on 06 January, 2018, 02:16:34 PM
I think it's a work of unexpected and unlooked-for genius, that so far has done nothing but reward repeated scrutiny and thought.

I disagree with your verdict on ep 8 Tordelback, but I rather enjoy your enthusiasm! :D




Magnetica

TPM in 4th spot?

Have to say I'm just a little surprised.


IndigoPrime

Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 January, 2018, 04:01:55 PMI'm just thinking about why it's written like it is
I'd wager at least part of this is down to diminished importance being given to the editing process. You see this throughout TV and movies these days in a manner that's much worse than even a decade ago, let alone several. Too many individuals have too much power, and script editors aren't powerful enough. Additionally, although you used to have drastic decisions made on the back of audience previews (Little Shop of Horrors being one of the most overt), the 'science' of modern-day responses mean algorithms and too much data can have a hugely adverse effect on a great many movies.

JOE SOAP

#740
Quote from: IndigoPrime on 06 January, 2018, 04:19:50 PM
Quote from: GrudgeJohnDeed on 06 January, 2018, 04:01:55 PMI'm just thinking about why it's written like it is
I'd wager at least part of this is down to diminished importance being given to the editing process. You see this throughout TV and movies these days in a manner that's much worse than even a decade ago, let alone several. Too many individuals have too much power, and script editors aren't powerful enough. Additionally, although you used to have drastic decisions made on the back of audience previews (Little Shop of Horrors being one of the most overt), the 'science' of modern-day responses mean algorithms and too much data can have a hugely adverse effect on a great many movies.

Not sure that's really the case with The Last Jedi. Just going by Rian Johnson's consistent line about creative autonomy in the script and what he could do in the edit, and the fact Lucasfilm don't hold public screenings for Star Wars films – I believe TLJ had been seen by less that 20 people before the premiere.

I'm sure a more conservative studio figure would've cut a lot of TLJ out.

TordelBack

Quote from: Magnetica on 06 January, 2018, 04:12:43 PM
TPM in 4th spot?

Have to say I'm just a little surprised.

Ah RotJ isn't that bad.

;)

JOE SOAP

Quote from: IndigoPrime on 06 January, 2018, 04:19:50 PM
Too many individuals have too much power, and script editors aren't powerful enough.

Although I do agree not having a strong script editor can be a problem, sometimes.

TordelBack

#743
I don't know to what extent the sequel trilogy didn't have an overall plan relative to the highly fluid OT, but the degree of effort to which TLJ goes to draw the OT, the PT and TFA together is really remarkable, as is the awareness of and respect for these antecedents. Key scenes and conversations in both OT and PT are merged, reversed and reworked, and given a new unity in the context of the ST and the overall saga.  As one example, [spoiler]Rey and Kylo's final face-to-face conversation in the throne room takes Padme and Anakin's final scene from RotS , and mixes in Vader and Luke's final face-to-face from TESB, but concludes with an entirely different 'victor'. Similarly, Luke and Kylo's final duel takes Vader and Kenobi's showdown conversations from both ANH and RotS, and reframes them.

One of my favourite scenes is where Luke finally opens himself to the Force again, and reprises the pivotal moment in TESB where Leia hears his cry for help.  Her awakening, his re-awakening, her awakening of a different sort.  But this also serves to remind us that Leia's force-powers shouldn't have been a surprise, and that Jedi could always communicate at a distance: much as Snoke tossing Hux about reminds us that Vader too could work through the Force at interstellar distances, so it shouldn't be surprise when Rey, Kylo and finally Luke take this a step further.[/spoiler]  Very few of the 'surprises' in TLJ come without a clear precedent, and often an explicit reference to that precedent, even if we didn't recognise them as such

TLJ isn't simply copying or homaging these scenes for nostalgic effect, it's continuing to explore their themes and implications, and find new ways forwards, in the process knitting these 8 films together in a very satisfying way, and showing that their possibilities are far from played out.


manwithnoname

Quote from: TordelBack on 06 January, 2018, 04:31:41 PM
Quote from: Magnetica on 06 January, 2018, 04:12:43 PM
TPM in 4th spot?

Have to say I'm just a little surprised.

Ah RotJ isn't that bad.

;)

I like Return Of The Jedi. Rounded the trilogy off perfectly. Yeah, there's issues with it, but after the grimness of the previous chapter, I think a bit of happiness and light was justified.

Mind you, I was about 12 or 13 when I watched it for the first time.

Professor Bear

Quote from: JLC on 17 January, 2018, 10:57:53 AM
https://screenrant.com/star-wars-last-jedi-chinese-theaters/

A Western film that makes a big deal about a young student coming to learn at the feet of a grumpy but venerated master storyline, only to go off on one saying that this whole sub-genre is a load of bullshit lapped up by morons, and Asian audiences weren't keen on it for some reason?  Even Sherlock Holmes can't solve this mystery.

Given how TLJ social media evangelicals usually take criticism of the film, I fully expect them to be calling for war with China any minute now.

manwithnoname

Quote from: Professor Bear on 17 January, 2018, 11:44:56 AM
Quote from: JLC on 17 January, 2018, 10:57:53 AM
https://screenrant.com/star-wars-last-jedi-chinese-theaters/

A Western film that makes a big deal about a young student coming to learn at the feet of a grumpy but venerated master storyline, only to go off on one saying that this whole sub-genre is a load of bullshit lapped up by morons, and Asian audiences weren't keen on it for some reason?  Even Sherlock Holmes can't solve this mystery.

Given how TLJ social media evangelicals usually take criticism of the film, I fully expect them to be calling for war with China any minute now.

If it isn't big robots, monsters, superheroes or exploding cars, non-Chinese films have zero chance of success in China.

TordelBack

Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 11:51:31 AM
If it isn't big robots, monsters, superheroes or exploding cars, non-Chinese films have zero chance of success in China.

Hmmm, now you mention it TLJ didn't have a monster, did it?  Very odd. Even Rogue 1 had a monster*.




*RotS didn't have one either, but only because Obi-Wan's fight with a water monster on Utapau was apparently cut during filming.


manwithnoname

Quote from: TordelBack on 17 January, 2018, 01:02:31 PM
Quote from: manwithnoname on 17 January, 2018, 11:51:31 AM
If it isn't big robots, monsters, superheroes or exploding cars, non-Chinese films have zero chance of success in China.

Hmmm, now you mention it TLJ didn't have a monster, did it?  Very odd. Even Rogue 1 had a monster*.




*RotS didn't have one either, but only because Obi-Wan's fight with a water monster on Utapau was apparently cut during filming.

I'm not sure a fleeting appearance of a monster would quite cut it with the Chinese. It needs to have monsters in it ALL THE TIME, and ideally stars a monster as the main character.

"The Adventures Of Sarlacc - HE EATS LADIES!" for example, might have worked