Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace 3D

[TordelBack]

I want realness. I want vast sets and insanely detailed miniatures. I want an army of beardy nerds bulidin shit using materials that when breathed in will shorten their life span by about two years.

Then Phantom Menace is the movie for you!  Some of the largest most complex miniatures ever constructed for film include Theed, the Podrace circuit and the Trade Federation Droid Control Ship - really only bettered by Revenge of the Sith's Utapau and Mustafar exteriors.  Also, all Podracer engines built 1:1.

[Michaelvk]

A lot of models were made as references for the CGI guys.. While it seems disappointing, filming the pod race with miniatures would've been a nightmare (that said.. the Falcon in the asteroid field was impressive.. Maybe after that they said: "Sod that!!")

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

The pod-race is nice wee action piece, I can't say it isn't exciting. It just feels like it's been crow-barred in. A good ol' sci-fi drag race just for the sake of itself.

[bigjobs67]

Just been watchin Empire again. Man alive its good. Miniatures, Mattin, Stop Motion, Massive life size sets. Its not been directed by Lucas. A rubber Yoda eatin Luke's space rations (a scene that always makes me crave a Star bar for some reason?) and hobblin around on a tiny walkin stick. Its got the fuckin lot.

[TordelBack]

Just been watchin Empire again.

Best film ever made, OBJECTIVE FACT.  Can't stop watching it, even after 30 years. 

[bigjobs67]

An't it. Its fuckin awsom. I know this is only a small section of a plethora of fantastic stuff in this movie but when they shoot down the AT,AT during the Hoth scenes and it's head explodes and it slowly falls to one side and then blows up and the fuckin debris lands in the fore ground and impacts on the pretend snow. Sooo beautifully done. No CGI bollocks. Just hard workin technically minded,film savvy FX nerds goin 'Yeah man. It needs to be done like this so it looks fuckin awsom. Like if you shot an elephant or some shit'.

[Greg M.]

I was having a conversation about Star Wars with some of my pupils the other day (a fairly erudite bunch of 15 year-olds who had seen all the films), and the concept of Empire being The Best seemed rather lost on them... in fact, one or two of them declared it poor. They're wrong, of course, but it did make me wonder if the very existence of the prequels had somehow completely undercut all that is good about Empire. From their perspective, Empire is completely lacking in revelation... 'No, there is another' isn't a thrilling mystery to them, it's something they've known for two films, and as for the film's most iconic moment... it was largely greeted with a resounding 'And...?'

We were the lucky ones, I tell ya.

[TordelBack]

Sadly probably all true, Greg.  Mind you, my lad eagerly watches the Hoth stuff, the asteroids and the Vader fight, and for my money the romance and the lighting, the beautiful lighting, are worth the price of admission alone. 

[bigjobs67]

True,true. Sad but true. mabye they can introduce their kids to it in years to come and hopefully If Lucas hasn't raped the arse out of it all by then. They may have a similar reaction to the one we had all those years ago.

'Asteroids are of no concern to me'. lol.

[Greg M.]

Sadly probably all true, Greg.  Mind you, my lad eagerly watches the Hoth stuff, the asteroids and the Vader fight, and for my money the romance and the lighting, the beautiful lighting, are worth the price of admission alone. 

Well, this is it. And no external factors can ever undercut the sheer cinematic perfection of "I love you." / "I know."

[Spikes]

We were the lucky ones, I tell ya.

Good point that Greg, as i dont own, watch or care for the prequels, i hadnt really thought about how they have impacted upon the original trilogy. Certainly they would kill dead the mystery/major reveals in the older films, for any first time viewers. Can we add "spoilers" to the list of crimes for the prequels?
Yes, perhaps we are the lucky ones.....

[I, Cosh]

Just been watchin Empire again.

Best film ever made, OBJECTIVE FACT.  Can't stop watching it, even after 30 years.

Pfft. It's not even as good as Star Wars.

[bigjobs67]

You tryin to bait us Cosh? You know this means 'Beef' don'tcha. Lol.

[Buttonman]

I'd take Starship Troopers or Robo-Cop over the lot of them.

[Gonk]

Battlestar Gallactica's or Buck Rogers' better.