Just read all the pages in this thread to catch up! After coming into the Ep4 thread pretty late, I'm a bit giddy joining up here when its still in the pre-production stage!
Just wanted to say Ady that ANHR was amazing! And thanks to you for all your hard work! And now on with ESBR, i've seen a few clips and am amazed by the colour passes. Can't believe how criminally blue the pictures are and why did Lucas released this sub-standard rubbish to the public? Profits huh?
Well here goes my few cents on ESBR:
I like all the suggestions thats been going on here so far, many has already been addressed so i won't repeat them. But there are a few other things that i want to share-
1. Not only the tauntaun have jerky movements, the AT-AT and AT-ST walkers have them as well.
2. IMHO the Imperial Walkers reveal should be left alone. i loved it when we first see little rocks falling onto artoo's head as the base is rumbling with some vibrations, then we see the dots in the horizon then we see the walkers in the macrobinoculars. The anticipation and tension is just spot on. The whole Hoth attack scene is one of the best in film history (not just star wars). If anything is changed, even in the best of intentions, it might change things.
3. Luke and Leia kiss. Obviously its up to Adywan but this kiss is in disagreement to all nations and all cultures including the US and UK. And its a U-rated film! I don't think we (especially the Parents amongst us) are comfortable with our kids watching this. I favour a complete cut, but i don't know how that will be done though, even to tone it down.
I remember Luke and Leia sayig in ROTJ that "they've always known" upon finding out the truth. Even though Luke liked Leia in ANH, he never went further than that and so did Leia as something was holding them back. Thoughts anyone?
4. IMHO the rebel fleet at the end is fine. Its just great to see them for the first time at the end of the film and in the Saga. It sort of gave me the shivers somehow. Despite the sad end to the film, there is still hope. Having more ships in would just spoil the scene.
5. At Hoth there are hardly any Star Destroyers surrounding the planet. In the beginning of Ep1 TPM we see a very believable planetary blockade on Naboo. It just seems empty in Ep5 especially when the rebels try to escape we hardly see any other star destroyers and rebel ships.
6. Since the decision has already been made about the windows of the Cloud City I'll mention something else...Doesn't anyone notice that a ship (yes at least one ship!) passes through every single window of Cloud City when we see a window in every scene??? A ship passing through one window is fine but every single window??!! Its kind of like everytime i look out each window of my house, hey presto! A ship flies past it!!!
Even i don't like the interior shots. As someone already said- The suspense suffers from opening the place up and the orange lighting distracts from the white interiors. It also takes away the claustrophobic feel of the original, especially the tension that builds up to Vader and Boba Fett reveal in the dining room.
IMO I don't agree with the extra cloud city scenes. As many fans have said the original ESB is perfect as it is albeit some minor changes. The new extra scenes are just a waste of time. The scene of the Falcon flying through it is just too computer-gamey effects. It spoils the pacing. Even i don't agree with the scene we see of the crowds listening to Lando's announcement that the empire is taking over (heh they're all suddenly looking up at the same time to the same spot in the sky like Lemmings!) What is the point of that scene?! Its again like ILM showing what we can do! Completely unecessary.
As for the sky traffic, don't you think there should be time for the traffic to appear in the sky after Lando makes his announcement? how can it be there so quickly?
7. Lastly about Vader seeing a picture of Padme in his chamber? I don't know if thats in the 2004 DVDs but i'll faint if it is! How lame. It is at least 20 years after ROTS and Vader is well over it! He is deep into the Dark Side and he is 'married' to the force as Palpatine said in the novels (i don't remember which one). The Dark Side of the Force makes you forget the good things in life, your loved ones etc, and when Vader finally turns back to the Light in ROTJ, in the novel he suddenly remembers his Wife...and Obi-Wan too...and Yoda. So putting that picture there spoils the whole thing.
/End rant
Adywan as you mentioned that you wanted a CG Yoda in Ep1, i thought that it has been done by ILM in the latest DVD discs?
Gotta go now to sleep. Till then, the Force be with you!
Commander Bane