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"Fanboys" and "Star Wait" (fan made Star Wars movies)

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Fanboys is fantastic.  So funny - I'm glad it was released in theaters in Chicago, but it's a shame it wasn't given a wide release.  I'd highly recommend it to anyone, doubly so to any 'Star Wars' fan.  One note - it was written in 1998, and is about a group of friends attempting to break into Skywalker Ranch to see Episode I before their friend dies of cancer (his prognosis means he'll die before the film is released).  Because of this, every reference in the film is to the OT, and there really aren't any SE references either.  But it's not negative toward the PT - it was just written before anyone had seen the PT.

There is, however, one reference toward TPM specifically that I assume was added after TPM was relased.  SPOILER ALERT!!!

 

 

 

 

... At the end, when everyone sits down in a theater to watch TPM for the first time, one friend turns to the other and says, "Wait ... what if it sucks?"  Cut to black, credits roll.  It's the only reference to the PT in the film (beyond the fact that the plot revolves around seeing TPM early), and it's perfect.

 

 

 

 

END OF SPOILERS.

I have not seen "Star Wait," though, so I can't comment on that.

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http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/SW-Line-Movies-Documentaries-Films-Shorts-Etc/topic/3569/
That's a thread for Documentaries on SW lines and fandom. 'Star Wait' falls into that category, since it's about the AotC lines in hollywood.

Fanboys (which will be on DVD soon but is making it's way in theaters, every week it's in a new city) is a traditional comedy which used Star Wars as it's base. How much the producer/writer of the movie was a 'fan' of Star Wars is debateable. It seems more like a typical comedy to me then a fan made movie. it's fairly generic and spends alot of time on traditional cliche 'humour' things like Star Wars vs Star Trek.

but i'm biased because i apprecate the other 'were going to break into Skywalker Ranch movie' "die LUCAS die" which was conceived at the same time as 'Fanboys' but was not studio produced. It's more experimental and really uses/abuses the Star Wars as a vehicle to gain viewership. It's a difficult movie. The fact that these two movies exist is more interesting then either one.

none

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Star Wait was interesting in that it documented what it was like to camp out in line for weeks waiting to see the Episode I premiere in Hollywood. A slice of life of real fans, without mocking them. I don't know if the DVD was ever sold outside of a Target exclusive though.

I'm still waiting for "5-25-77" to come out!

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Where were you in '77?

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Does "Star Wait" talk to the same people after they see the movie? That would be interesting. If they were anything like me, they were a bit happy just for the fact that it was new Star Wars, but also confused at a convoluted storyline, weird revelations, an irritating and juvenile new character, and a really goofy looking Yoda.

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none said:

but i'm biased because i apprecate the other 'were going to break into Skywalker Ranch movie' "die LUCAS die" which was conceived at the same time as 'Fanboys' but was not studio produced. It's more experimental and really uses/abuses the Star Wars as a vehicle to gain viewership. It's a difficult movie. The fact that these two movies exist is more interesting then either one.

 

Does a completed, edited, and polished version of die LUCAS die exist? I've been looking and there is very little information out there about the thing. I have found video links through google that claim to be the film, but they are all a bit of a mess, including undubbed scenes and retakes, and a very confusing partial ending. Is this just the state the film was abandoned in? Or does a complete version exist?

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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 (Edited)
From the website http://www.dielucasdie.com/ you can order the DVD and you get a nice t-shirt if some are still available. There's also a podcast in the site which has the complete film as part of the download. (but this was several years ago) The film is experimental and might seem disjointed, so you might have seen the whole thing. I would guess that clips on online video services are probably cut scenes and miscellaneous, since putting those things out might drive people to the website to buy the DVD.

For me what makes this movie great is that it's one of the first StarWars-ploitation movies. There had been plenty of fan films and parodies but this was the first film i'm aware of that really had an alternative goal but wrapped it up into the Star Wars phenomenom to gain eyeballs.

none

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I actually downloaded the version I got for the dielucasdie site. So I suppose that was the completed version?

If that is the case, then I'd have to say it is very lousy film making. Basically using the term "experimental" to mean poorly edited and unfinished. The version I saw has actors asking for their lines, and multiple takes of the same scenes. It honestly feels like a project a lot of hard work and time went into, and then they lost interest, said screw it and called it good. If the DVD version actually was a real completed film, I'd probably buy it. But the commentary tracks are the same length as the version I saw, so I guess the DVD version is the same thing.

I actually thought it had some potential. You were right in saying that it really uses and abuses the SW theme. The trailer makes it sound like some perverse film where a trio of kids decide to take off and go kill Lucas, where the actually film (or the 145 minute mess I saw anyway) was far better grounded than that, and was really about growing up. Making that awkward transition from childhood to adulthood. The character of Mark felt like he could fit right in at this community.

 

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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maybe it would be a good fan project for an editor to finish up?

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No, it is missing too much footage, and it is in serious need of dubbing. I'd love to read a full script of it though, I felt it was, for the most part, relatively well written.

I found the trailer for it on youtube, and it is funny how much flaming there is from people complaining about the premise of the film. "fuck you guys George Lucas is a Hero!! best guy in hollywood! you self go DIE!!" - actual youtube comment by eidos90. Ah, youtube! Breeding ground for intellectual thought, freedom of speech, and aspiring young future high school drop outs...

Anyway, I flipped through the commentary track on the thing, an lucked out hitting on a spot where the director explains his logic being leaving in shots of the clapperboard, film crew, gaffed lines, and retakes. His idea was that each of the characters are essentially all trying to be the hero of their own film (trying to find themselves and their path in life, like we all do around that age), and that he left these bits in there as part of the story telling process.

Sure, giving that explaination makes it sound all artsy and what not. But it would be like a guy writing a book and leaving in all or most of his grammatical errors and spelling mistakes, and explaining it away as being part of the story telling process, representing the fact that the hero of the story is a flawed individual. Interesting idea, but regardless of intent, it comes off as the lousiest excuse since the classic, "My dog ate my homework".

Anyway, thanks None for pointing this little flick out to me. It is a fascinating little piece.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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'die LUCAS die' is listed as 10 bucks AND you can probably still get a snuggly satanic looking George 'IS THIS YOUR God?' t-shirt! Even if you don't watch it, it's still a conversation piece for those guests who DVD spine gaze. Or play it when you want guests to leave your house... the bathtub scene alone should get rid of everyone, except your horny aunt.

I checked my e-mail exchange with dLd and the DVD (in 2006) he wanted only 7 bucks AND the t-shirt was thrown in. Screw the economy, it's dLd's 10th anniversary, send'um 10 bucks.

The fan project for this is the split between die LUCAS die & Fanboys. Someone will hopefully get the two writers together to talk about their projects' inspirations. There's a urban myth of someone breaking into Skywalker Ranch in the 80s which is partly where the writer of Fanboys' inspiration came from, could be the same for dLd.
none

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Nah, not really worth ten bucks to me. I really liked the story, but the film itself grates on my nerves. And I'd never wear the "IS THIS YOUR GOD? T-shirt (though it does make me laugh), it is pretty tacky looking for one, and I actually like Lucas.

That would be cool if someone got the two writers together to talk about their inspirations. I haven't seen Fanboys, but I am sure die LUCAS die doesn't even compare to it in the slightest. dLd feels like a school assignment that was turned in incomplete, and then abandoned once the grade was given.

If they'd whip the script back out and reshoot the whole thing, it could be a pretty cool little indie film.

As you can see by how much I have written about it, I really liked the damn little thing a lot. Just didn't quite leave me satisfied, I feel like I ate half of a sandwich and am now craving the other half which doesn't exist. I wonder if this guy has gone on to write/make any other films?

Watching this thing has really made me wish I didn't live so far away from all my old friends from university. I'd love to take some of the old scripts I've written and a camera and see what we could throw together. Indie film making is awesome. Being an adult where nobody you know has time for stuff like that sucks.

 

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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C3PX said:

Does a completed, edited, and polished version of die LUCAS die exist? I've been looking and there is very little information out there about the thing. I have found video links through google that claim to be the film, but they are all a bit of a mess, including undubbed scenes and retakes, and a very confusing partial ending. Is this just the state the film was abandoned in? Or does a complete version exist?

 

 I don't see what the big deal is.  It is just a German production titled "The Lucas, the".  And we all know the Germans wouldn't do anything evil.

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Wow, and suddenly the song "Spring Time for Hitler" pops into my head.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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SW will be on B'Way someday....

The Republic was having trouble, what a sad, sad story
Needed a new leader to restore its former glory
Where, oh where was he? Where could that man be?
We looked around and then we found
The man/machine for you and me
and now it's...

Sixty Six Time for Vader and Palpatine
The Empire is happy and gay
We're cloning at a faster pace
To build an army to protect our galaxy place

Sixty Six Time for Yoda and Jedi
The Jedi have fallen from grace
Sixty Six Time for Mace and Obi-Wan
Come on, Empire, go into your dance

I was born on Naboo, and that is why the Senate didn't boo
Don't be stupid, be a smarty, it's too late your part of the Empire

Sixty Six time for Sidious who's Palpatine
The Force is out of the way
Planets are falling in line
For the Empire it's all a matter of time

Sixty Six time for Clone Troops and Vader
Gunships are sailing once more

Sixty Six time for Vader and Palpatine
Means that soon we'll be going
We've got to be going
You know we'll be going to WAR!

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Nice one, none.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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This is slightly off topic, but ....

Wasn't there an HD broadcast of the theatrical cut of TPM way back when? 'Cuz if there was, that would mean there's an HD master still sitting on the shelves in the vault at LFL and they wouldn't have an excuse to not include it in the eventual blu-ray.

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My friends and I watched Fanboys a few weeks ago and it became a game to see how subtle a SW reference we could find at any given time.

And Dan Fogler - Hutch - would be the perfect choice if anyone ever decided to make a film about Sam Kinison.

My outlook on life - we’re all on the Hindenburg anyway…no point fighting over the window seat.

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Fang Zei said:

This is slightly off topic, but ....

Wasn't there an HD broadcast of the theatrical cut of TPM way back when? 'Cuz if there was, that would mean there's an HD master still sitting on the shelves in the vault at LFL and they wouldn't have an excuse to not include it in the eventual blu-ray.

Talk to adywan. He is using the HD broadcast on his colour corrected theatrical version of TPM. So it is the one you saw in the theater not that pink piece of shit you buy in the store

 

"The other versions will disappear. Even the 35 million tapes of Star Wars out there won’t last more than 30 or 40 years. A hundred years from now, the only version of the movie that anyone will remember will be the DVD version [of the Special Edition], and you’ll be able to project it on a 20’ by 40’ screen with perfect quality. I think it’s the director’s prerogative, not the studio’s to go back and reinvent a movie." - George Lucas

<span> </span>

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Wait, the Phantom Menace needs to be color corrected? I thought the dvd looked great, best quality Star Wars movie on dvd. (I know it's edge enchanced but I've never noticed that on my tv's)The other prequels weren't shot on film so they don't look so great. And the ot, well the 2004 versions are the worst color timing job on a video transfer, the '06 versions have all that smearing.

Take back the trilogy. Execute Order '77

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Knightmessenger said:

Wait, the Phantom Menace needs to be color corrected?

Have you seen the screenshots of the color corrected TPM Adywan has done? (in his 1080p AVCHD thread) You'd see how much of a pink tint there is in the movie for some reason.

 

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ChainsawAsh said:

It's the only reference to the PT in the film (beyond the fact that the plot revolves around seeing TPM early), and it's perfect.

 

There is also a guy with a Jar Jar tatoo all over is back "Jar Jar! He's gonna be the shit!" (or something like this he says). Hilarious.