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Originally posted by: anaphalaxis
Well I look forward to seeing that Jim, but I have to disagree with you about the cgi Jabba in ANH, he is terrible! The rendering is bad, the animation is poor and the characterisation is off key in my opinion. I have to confess that some of the Mos Eisely stuff, particularly the stuff from a distance does add flavour and character to what is one of my favourite SW locations. Mos Eisely should be the bustling exotic location we see more of in episode II. And I too don't hate the dewbacks, they look alright, non offensive, as do some of the Mos Eisley creatures.
I'd like to see what they can do with Jabba in CGI in a few years time. Episode I is a vast vast improvement on SE ANH, but it still isn't *quite* there. If they had done him that well in the SE I wouldn't really have minded too much, at least he looks tangable.
But realistically this is an exciting time for CGI. Space scenes have been down for some time, now landscapes are totally indestinguishable at times (for example the window vista at the start of Pirates of the Carribean was CGI, I didn't notice even though I have the dvd), and cityscapes too can look very very realistic. But we need to remember that there isn't just this big thing called CGI and it is either good or bad depending on your oppinion. Some CGI is terrible, while some is really rather astounding. I want Lucas to make sure that he uses only the second kind, of which there is alot in the new films, and not the first kind, which there is still some of in Ep I and II.
CGI is littered through out most romantic comedies. Anytime you see a beautiful sunset it was most likely CG'ed. This type of thing is primarily indistinguishable from the real thing... the only real give away is that it's unlikely the filmmakers managed to photograph such a beautiful sunset. It doesn't pass the common sense test, but other than that it always looks good.
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Characterisation is often a problem, and it is really important to add film grain and lens refraction to CGI in order that it looks like it was filmed along with the rest of the scene.
That's the case in most of the Star Wars prequels. Off the top of my head, you see that type of thing during interior shots of the Jedi Temple (when Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon discuss Anakin with the Council) and later on when Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan discuss Anakin's chances of being accept by the Council and trained as a Jedi.
Besides, Episodes II and III were shot on high-def digital video, so there's no need to add film grain.
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JarJar sticks out like a sore thumb, as well as being totally cartoony. I loathe that creature.
Boo fucking hoo, Jar Jar is a kid's character, get over it.
- Trentobi