3D STAR WARS for the masses...has ARRIVED! — Page 28

evan1975 said:

BTW, TPM has finally dropped to "Rotten" status on Rotten Tomatoes.

Darth Bizarro said:

Almost as bad as the transfer were the fans in attendance.  I'm not sure who was more annoying, the group of hecklers in front of us who spent the whole film running their mouths and cracking jokes and before the movie started, got up in front of the theaters and asked people if they actually liked this movie they were about to see then started asking questions straight out of the RedLetterMedia reviews.

I think what you're seeing is that TPM is finally becoming Showgirls.  There are certain films that are simply EXPECTED to be terrible, and they are shown at midnight so that people can pay money to make fun of them and be rowdy when nobody else is awake.

I'm sure people also complained that they wanted to quietly enjoy the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  But it was a midnight screening of a terrible movie.  This sort of audience is what it's made for.  I'm afraid you'll probably be seeing more of this.

Why? Why are people seeing this?

I don't understand the logic.

Forget the shittiness of the movie itself. Some people claim they're seeing TPM in theaters for the 3D. Unsurprisingly, the 3D conversion itself is extremely poor.

You guys fell for it AGAIN. He sold you another turd and convinced you it was better because of "3D". You decided to give him more of your money, despite all of your reservations and all of the history of Lucas' not delivering good products, because "it's Star Wars."

God damn, it's pathetic.

I agree. I'm going to see it next week. It's pathetic...

Harmy said:

I agree. I'm going to see it next week. It's pathetic...

Don't do it, Harmy! 

As for myself, I have no desire to see it, let alone in 3d.  I can't stand watching 3d movies anyway, so seeing TPM in 3d would just be that much worse.

Give it money ! ... More money !!! Give, give, give it away !

It 's in 3D !!!

The pop-corns are in 2D though.

kilik64 said:

Best friend and myself are going to see it tonight. Im not really sure why, we both hate the movie, and Im personally not the biggest fan of 3d (although I will say that Hugo has almost changed my mind on it, that movie was phenominal!), but yet we are still going.

We both love Star Wars since our childhood (both of us are late twenties) and we saw all three prequels together, so guess we are trying to keep the streak alive?

Really, why are we going...

Because the Flannel Master has a psychological hold on you, and you feel like less of a SW fan if you don't go, break your streak, and spend more money on crap you've said you don't care to see?

georgec said:

kilik64 said:

Best friend and myself are going to see it tonight. Im not really sure why, we both hate the movie, and Im personally not the biggest fan of 3d (although I will say that Hugo has almost changed my mind on it, that movie was phenominal!), but yet we are still going.

We both love Star Wars since our childhood (both of us are late twenties) and we saw all three prequels together, so guess we are trying to keep the streak alive?

Really, why are we going...

Because the Flannel Master has a psychological hold on you, and you feel like less of a SW fan if you don't go, break your streak, and spend more money on crap you've said you don't care to see?

Yes, no reason to go if you hated it.  I just pretend that the prequels don't exist, so I can still retain my unspoiled love for Star Wars that I had when I was a kid.

kilik64 said:

Best friend and myself are going to see it tonight. Im not really sure why, we both hate the movie, and Im personally not the biggest fan of 3d (although I will say that Hugo has almost changed my mind on it, that movie was phenominal!), but yet we are still going.

We both love Star Wars since our childhood (both of us are late twenties) and we saw all three prequels together, so guess we are trying to keep the streak alive?

Really, why are we going...

That's disturbing. And no, laughing during the screening doesn't make it ok. You're still feeding the beast and ruining the flick for those fools who want to enjoy it. How 'bout donating the money to a charity instead? Or just give it to me if you don't want it. I gots bills to pay and unlike George, financially times are tough for me.

kilik64 said:

But what if we make fun of it and have a good time doing that? Make it ok then?

It just makes it equivalent to Showgirls or Rocky Horror, that's all.  The only thing wrong with that is that there are probably still a handful more people with genuine non-ironic interest in seeing TPM than Showgirls, and you might bug them.  But really if you choose your venue right or wait a little longer, you won't have to worry about that either.

I do feel kinda bad for people who genuinely like Showgirls though.  There simply aren't any non-ironic showings anymore.

For anyone who thinks that we shouldn't have gone to see the movie in 3D... you really should be thanking us... I've heard a lot of people saying that they want to see the OT in 3D, but if anyone remembers, Lucas won't release all of them unless each film is successful.

I went to a half-filled, very mellow midnight showing, and have to say that I was both impressed and disappointed...

Pros

Personally, I thought that the 3D conversion was AMAZING. Though subtle, it added to the depth of the film in a way that the Bluray release was unable to do (something I feel WAS achieved with RotS).

When TPM was released, everyone who worked on it kept pointing out how many things were going on in each scene. Everything, background and foreground, has been given proper depth. For some scenes, characters are talking, and you can see a battle droid walking away around 50 feet back clearly, with all of its surroundings also thoroughly given depth. Another very interesting feature is the changing of scenes through wipes, because many foreground heavy scenes gave way to star fields, causing wipes to show off the huge depth difference.

Not too many scenes stand out, but I think this is a huge positive. Everything visually meshes MUCH better than any other version of this I've seen.

Cons

The film in 3D was DARK. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to it, so the beginning of the film seem overly black.

Theater sound wasn't as impressive as I had hoped. I've spent two years trying to get my setup right at home though, so I'm a bit spoiled from the bluray audio in a really nice 6.1 setup.

The film is BORING. I haven't had to just sit through TPM in years, without a pause button and some light distraction. I felt stuck on Tatooine for eternity...

Final Thoughts

Go see it if you have any interest in ANY of the films in 3D at all. I'm sure that it could use the numbers boost to pave the way for George to release the rest of the films. Now that this film is over, I'm actually decently excited to see the rest of them this way...

And who knows... maybe George will release the OUT with the 3D Bluray releases. Every new release of these films at least offer a chance for that opportunity. 

kilik64 said:

 (although I will say that Hugo has almost changed my mind on it, that movie was phenominal!),

I would say that this conversion was nearly on par with Hugo. I also loved Hugo :)

Bingowings said:

CatBus said:

kilik64 said:

But what if we make fun of it and have a good time doing that? Make it ok then?

It just makes it equivalent to Showgirls or Rocky Horror, that's all.  

Only Rocky Horror is entertaining by design, not by virtue of being so crap it's fashionable to pay good money to mock it.

THIS. People laugh with Rocky Horror. People laugh at Phantom Menace. BIG difference.

kilik64 said:

But what if we make fun of it and have a good time doing that? Make it ok then?

Want to laugh at the movie and have fun?

Put in your old DVD and play Red Letter Media's commentary track as you watch it.

http://redlettermedia.com/phantom-phriday-mr-plinketts-phantom-menace-commentary-track/

Trying that hard to rationalize giving Lucas money...sad.

You be trolling?

ray_afraid said:

THIS. People laugh with Rocky Horror. People laugh at Phantom Menace. BIG difference.

So TPM is exactly like Showgirls, then.

nightstalkerpoet said:

For anyone who thinks that we shouldn't have gone to see the movie in 3D... you really should be thanking us... I've heard a lot of people saying that they want to see the OT in 3D, but if anyone remembers, Lucas won't release all of them unless each film is successful.

I went to a half-filled, very mellow midnight showing, and have to say that I was both impressed and disappointed...

Pros

Personally, I thought that the 3D conversion was AMAZING. Though subtle, it added to the depth of the film in a way that the Bluray release was unable to do (something I feel WAS achieved with RotS).

When TPM was released, everyone who worked on it kept pointing out how many things were going on in each scene. Everything, background and foreground, has been given proper depth. For some scenes, characters are talking, and you can see a battle droid walking away around 50 feet back clearly, with all of its surroundings also thoroughly given depth. Another very interesting feature is the changing of scenes through wipes, because many foreground heavy scenes gave way to star fields, causing wipes to show off the huge depth difference.

Not too many scenes stand out, but I think this is a huge positive. Everything visually meshes MUCH better than any other version of this I've seen.

Cons

The film in 3D was DARK. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to it, so the beginning of the film seem overly black.

Theater sound wasn't as impressive as I had hoped. I've spent two years trying to get my setup right at home though, so I'm a bit spoiled from the bluray audio in a really nice 6.1 setup.

The film is BORING. I haven't had to just sit through TPM in years, without a pause button and some light distraction. I felt stuck on Tatooine for eternity...

Final Thoughts

Go see it if you have any interest in ANY of the films in 3D at all. I'm sure that it could use the numbers boost to pave the way for George to release the rest of the films. Now that this film is over, I'm actually decently excited to see the rest of them this way...

And who knows... maybe George will release the OUT with the 3D Bluray releases. Every new release of these films at least offer a chance for that opportunity. 

 

kilik64 said:

 (although I will say that Hugo has almost changed my mind on it, that movie was phenominal!),

I would say that this conversion was nearly on par with Hugo. I also loved Hugo :)

 

The UOT in 3D (which is not going to happen) is not the UOT.

The Special Edition in 3D would be released.

3D is an overplayed, shallow fad. Movies are already 3D. There is depth in the images. Your eyes perceive this naturally.

Having 2D planes stick out and confuse your inherent perceptions of space does not make the movie more 3D.

Again, another sad attempt rationalization. "I saw the TPM in 3D so that we can get the UOT in 3D."

You've fallen for Lucasfilm's marketing ploy. "We converted one movie. If it makes enough money we'll do the rest." Translation: give us enough money or we won't put out the OT Special Edition in 3D.

??????? Are people this stupid?

georgec said:

kilik64 said:

But what if we make fun of it and have a good time doing that? Make it ok then?

Want to laugh at the movie and have fun?

http://redlettermedia.com/phantom-phriday-mr-plinketts-phantom-menace-commentary-track/

RLM:

Even though it’s fucking horrible, do you still plan on seeing The Phantom Menace in 3D this weekend? Why not plug your ears with two hours of Plinkett droning to make the experience more painful? I mean less painful! Below is the Mr. Plinkett Phanton Menace commentary track! Put it on your mobile device and listen to it in the theater while you watch the film (and definitely DO NOT pay to see another film and then sneak in) or sync it up with your DVD or stupid Blu-ray. Or just listen to it on its own because that’s not weird at all. Click here or the banner below to get the commentary track:

This is awesome! Totally gonna do that!

georgec said:

Why? Why are people seeing this?

I don't understand the logic.

Forget the shittiness of the movie itself. Some people claim they're seeing TPM in theaters for the 3D. Unsurprisingly, the 3D conversion itself is extremely poor.

You guys fell for it AGAIN. He sold you another turd and convinced you it was better because of "3D". You decided to give him more of your money, despite all of your reservations and all of the history of Lucas' not delivering good products, because "it's Star Wars."

God damn, it's pathetic.

There are a few of us, like myself who saw the movie because we actually like the movie disppite it's flaws.  There is nothing pathetic about going to see a movie you like just because other people don't.  And I didn't go see it because it was in 3D, I went to go see it for the experience of seeing it in a theater again and the 3D was just an added gimmick. 

What bothers me is idiots that show up who don't like the movie, but come just to shove the fact in everyone face.  There's a time and a place for the critism and it's not right in the middle of the freaking movie theater.

zombie84 said:

SilverWook said:

Harmy said:

Well, the thing is, I'm sure you can always watch a 3D film in 2D.

 

Are 3D Blu Rays "backwards compatible" with 2D viewing?

My understanding was that they are not. But you can buy...2D glasses? I'm not sure what to call them, but you wear them and it makes it look like 2D. They made them for people who get headaches from the 3D. But if 3D becomes an industry norm then I'm sure there will be TVs or players made where it converts the image back into 2D.

Harmy said:

Stereo 3D consists of 2 2D images, so you should always be able to just view only the left or the right eye picture, there's no "conversion" involved.

Speaking as the owner of 3D blu-rays, the official answer is:

It depends.

It's stored on the disc as two separate streams.  The left eye is in the "regular" place that right eye is in a "special folder".  If you don't have a 3DBD player, it knows not to look for the other content and therefore  just ignores it.  It plays the left eye as the 2D version.

~HOWEVER~

 (and this is a big one)

The menu software on a 3DBD may detect if the player is 3D compatible.  If it's not, the menu may prevent playback of the disc at all.  I think ALL Disney 3DBDs are like this.  A quick rule of thumb is: If it comes in a multi-pack with a 2D only BD, it's likely that the 3DBD won't play in a normal 2D player.

Some 3DBD players have the option to just display left or right eye, and a lot of 3DTVs have the option as well.  However Disney would really like you to watch the 2D disc if you're watching it in 2D since they do some fancy stuff in 3D besides presenting you with another eye.

For example, the 2D version of Tangled is "shot" with a narrow focus.  The green hills in the distance are a soft green blur.  The 3D version is "shot" with deep focus and individual trees are seen on distant hills.  The extra detail on the trees allows the eyes/brain to gauge the simulated distance of the trees much better than an out-of-focus green smear.

Also, Disney is a fan of "floating windows" for 3D, which means that the black matte surrounding the picture is often changing shape and size.  For any 3D shot, there is a plane perpendicular to the viewing angle which represents the screen.  Depending on the shot, this plane may or may not be the same distance from the viewer as the actial screen.  Since the black matte is a negative object, it should always be at screen depth, not floating in front of or behind the screen.  So the 2D depiction of the black matte moves to match. 

The left eye stream has been optimized to be part of a 3D presentation and isn't the same as the 2D stream.  So, to maximize quality for both 2D and 3D, Disney (and some others) provide separate versions which don't compromise for the sake of the other viewing method.

Also, the potential bitrate per eye is higher in 2D, since it's only providing half as many pixels. 

Finally, the extra space 3D video takes on the BD comes at the cost of space for special features.  Some features can be moved to a "feature" disc, but others (like commentary or enhanced viewing modes) can't, so the 2D version is also required if those kind of features are to be included.