logo Sign In

Crystall Skull has GL's fingerprints all over it

Author
Date
Author
Time
Post link
THough most of the reviews are positive, this one is interestig:

http://chud.com/articles/articles/14781/1/REVIEW-INDIANA-JONES-AND-THE-KINGDOM-OF-THE-CRYSTAL-SKULL-DEVIN039S-TAKE/Page1.html

"It's almost too easy to bash George Lucas, but his fingerprints are all over this film. Right from the opening moments of the movie - hot rodding teenagers racing an army convoy, calling to mind American Graffiti - his presence looms large. He's there in the cute CGI prairie dogs that appear three different times. He's there when Shia LaBeouf's Mutt learns to swing like Tarzan by watching cute little monkeys. And he's really there in occasionally abysmal CGI action sequences that miss the entire point of what made the Indiana Jones movies work in the first place. This is the most George Lucas of all the Indiana Jones films, and that's not a great thing."
Darth Lucas: I am altering the trilogy. Pray I don't alter it further.
Author
Time
Post link
So most of the reviews are positive, but you decided to bring up the one negative review that takes a shot at Lucas? Nice.
Author
Time
 (Edited)
Post link
Actually, most reviews are positive in a sense of putting the expectations game before you walk in. This is why I have a big problem with these sequels, and this has nothing to do with Lucas. It is almost like they are yelling to the fan, "DONT EXPECT A GREAT MOVIEEEEEE!!!!!"

Usually by the 4th movie in a series, the movies start to get a bit stale, Lethal Weapon 4 anyone? But the characters still sell the movie, so you atleast have some affection for them walking into the theater. Same goes with Indy, we all love Ford, he is one of the coolest action characters put on screen, so Lucas/Spielberg can really put anything up there to Joe Public.

I think Indy IV will be a good sequel, but was it really needed? I mean will we be really talking about this movie 5 years from now, or will it have that replay value of movies of the past? Probably not, but this is Hollywood these days: Sequels, Sequels, Sequels... and as long as people keep coming, and think that 'good' reviews equates to a great movie, I'm sure we'll see Indy V along with Rambo V next summer.
Author
Time
Post link
Yea, I was reading those reviews on CHUD as soon as they went up.

Something that's occured to me is that the Indy movies started right in the middle of the OT, whereas we had to wait until three whole years after the PT was finished to get Indy IV. It really does seem like GL was trying to steer this thing as much as he could.
Author
Time
Post link
"Ownership is nine tenths of the law." Just be careful who you share ownership with.

"Now all Lucas has to do is make a cgi version of himself.  It will be better than the original and fit his original vision." - skyjedi2005

Author
Time
Post link
Before you bash Lucas too much, remember that Speilberg also has a role in this. And many of his recent films have been less than stellar. But I think what others said is right, its a fair film, its just that by the 4th film, the idea is worn out. I still want to see this film however.
Author
Time
Post link
I wouldn't really trust CHUD's reviews of the film. I love the site (most entertaining way to get my movie news), but they always seem to have their minds made up on a movie from the moment it's announced. They've taken the position that Indy 4 was going to be bad for a while now, so it doesn't surprise me that their reviews are as negative. Heck, looking at the # ratings they've given the film, it's pretty ridiculous when most reviews have been generally favorable. They seem to be treating the movie with extra scrutiny.
Author
Time
Post link
The midnight screenings on the east coast should be starting any minute....;-)

Author
Time
 (Edited)
Post link
pfffft.......

The movie has been out for 7 hours and 18 miuntes now in Australia ;)

Personally I'm going to see it on Sunday. I can wait..... though not through my choosing.

"Well here's a big bag of rock salt" - Patton Oswalt

Author
Time
Post link
Based on the commercial that aired last night during American Idol......this looks like a CGI wankfest. And that pretty much means we've been lied to by BOTH Lucas and Spielberg. I distinctly remember reading that this movie was going to be done like the old ones...where everything was real. I believe that same article had them saying that the matte paintings would be the extent of the CGI usage.

The commercial last night had CGI all over the fucking place. My fiance asked if that was the commercial for the VIDEO GAME!!! I said no, that was the movie.
And she is not into this shit at all. Bad signs, people...bad fucking signs.
Author
Time
Post link
Unfortunately, they changed their minds. Read this article below. Spielberg says he was going to, but decided on CGI instead. I would of liked to have seen less CGI. Too bad...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080522/ap_en_mo/film_indy_effects;_ylt=AmMezSOCEptAVZcDo5S_G0i2GL8C
Author
Time
Post link
I see no problem with this really. I think most of you guys exaggerate based on your disdain for the PT. I hate the PT as much as the next basher, but I don't hate it because of CGI. For the same reason, I'm not going to hate Indy IV because of CGI. If I do hate it, it'll be because of a bad story. Until I see it though, I'm reserving judgment.

And since I'm already a huge fan of two Indy movies (I don't like ToD so much), I'll probably have to see Crystall Skull 3 or 4 times before I can really pass judgment.
F Scale score - 3.3333333333333335

You are disciplined but tolerant; a true American.

Pissing off Rob since August 2007.
Author
Time
 (Edited)
Post link
The Griff said:

Has anyone else noticed the new CGI tweak to RAIDERS? No joke. I assume its from the new DVD version.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCnYx6-xxQw


Nope the new DVDs do not contain that change. The inevitable blu-ray release however, I'm betting will.

“I love Darth Editous and I’m not ashamed to admit it.” ~ADigitalMan

Author
Time
Post link
The worst thing about this is the stuff Lucas has been saying in interviews about this film being a segue between the old films and new ones starring Shia LaBeuof as the main character and Ford as more of a Connery 'sidekick'. What won't George Lucas ruin?
Author
Time
Post link
I heard about this too....

...honestly, if it does, what are we gonna do about it? This man is fucking insane. He should be in a straight-jacket, not making movies.

What I really don't get is why more people aren't saying it...
Author
Time
Post link
Probably because not everyone believes that Lucas is the Anti-Christ like so many of the haters do.
There are 10 types of people in this world: those who understand binary, and those who do not.
Author
Time
Post link
The background is different....when the car is going over the edge, look the side of the mountain ....

I love everybody. Lets all smoke some reefer and chill. Hug and kisses for everybody.

Author
Time
 (Edited)
Post link
Just saw the midnight showing of Crystal Skull last night.

My biggest impression: It was a lot of fun. I grinned and giggled a lot.

Aside from that, there was a lot of very unneccessary and fake-looking CGI throughout the film that really took me out of the movie at times.

I would consider it an "epilogue" chapter in the Indy series. Sort of an optional bookend to the real meat of the trilogy stories, i.e. "what did Indy do when he got old?"

If Lucas wants to make more after this, that's fine with me. They aren't necessary, but I'll still enjoy watching them. I just won't put them in the same category as the originals.

--SKot

Projects:
Return Of The Ewok and Other Short Films (with OCPmovie) [COMPLETED]
Preserving the…cringe…Star Wars Holiday Special [COMPLETED]
The Star Wars TV Commercials Project [DORMANT]
Felix the Cat 1919-1930 early film shorts preservation [ONGOING]
Lights Out! (lost TV anthology shows) [ONGOING]
Iznogoud (1995 animated series) English audio preservation [ONGOING]

Author
Time
Post link
I just saw it. It was good, not great... It was a fun movie. It did have a bunch of un-needed CGI and was a little corny in places, but overall not too bad at all. You can really see the "George" ideas, and someone said it already, Speilberg's later stuff has not been great... anyone see War of the Worlds?
Author
Time
Post link
My issue with CG is that it allows for filmmakers to be lazy. Before, a certain amount of creativity was involved in making something look real; now, you can hire a fucking video game designer to do all your work and buy a blue background for their job.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

Author
Time
Post link
My issue with CGI is that its part of a modern aesthetic. If you take it and drop it into an old film, it simply doesn't fit, much like if you were to take that old film and re-edit it with "MTV-style" editing; the approaches just wouldn't marry.