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ADigitalMan

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26-Sep-2004
Last activity
14-Jun-2025
Posts
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Post
#77404
Topic
Grievous added to databank
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77404/action/topic#77404
Time
No idea if he's CG or practical. I'm hoping practical. However, since he is mechanical, they may be able to have him look quite good in CG. Mechanical tends to look much better in the computer than anything organic, due to simple rules of physics. It's easier to predict how light will reflect off of a smooth metal surface than how it'll bounce off of skin, pores, hair, scales, and all of these things that are so random in their appearance. That's why (to me) the battle droids look pretty convincing, while the Gungans look utterly unbelievable. Give me rubber puppets any day, at least they'll be tactile.
Post
#77387
Topic
LOTR
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77387/action/topic#77387
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Starboy
The Hobbit was written as a children's book. Back when people had more faith in the intelligence of children. As opposed to now when everything is dumbed down...


Wheras JK Rowling isn't quite Tolkien, at least she's made strides to return children's literature to something intelligent with the Harry Potter books. Further, she's doing wonders for the short-attention-span generation. Kids taking time to read an 800-page book over summer vacation? That's not marketing success, it's genuine product success.

You're right, Tolkien (and C.S. Lewis) truly believed in the latent brilliance of children and wrote to it. All three of these figures are Brits, and not Americans. Maybe we're a little too corrupted by our consumerism in the U.S. After all, there isn't a growing Ritalin dependency in Europe that I've heard of.
Post
#77385
Topic
Episode III Teaser Trailer
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77385/action/topic#77385
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Starboy
So that Lucas can display the vast strides his companies have made in "dental effect technology."


Heh ... another great point, Starboy, which raises the question: If Lucas can put his own daughter into Episode I as a slave girl who can afford braces, then why can't Tion Medon? Or on a slightly more serious note, why can THE EMPEROR OF THE WHOLE GALAXY afford them? If anybody needs severe cosmetic dentistry, it's him.
Post
#77382
Topic
Qui Gon's death.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77382/action/topic#77382
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Darth Simon


And further more, the relation is Book: Obi-Wan and Owen are brothers
Movie: Anakin and Owen are Step-brothers


Correct, and succinct. Lucas said he changed his mind on the relationship while writing Episode II, thus rendering the novelization of ROTJ not-canon anymore ... at least, not for that page-and-a-half. The books were always supposed to be canon, until Lucas couldn't even stick with that. I think the Episode II relationship works better, but it does throw the canonical nature of the books out the window.
Post
#77380
Topic
Episode III Teaser Trailer
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77380/action/topic#77380
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab


So: Who did you think was the guy with the messed-up teeth that smiles at Kenobi?


I believe this is Tion Medon, played by Bruce Spence. There's probably more info out there on this character, but I'm trying to stay spoiler free. He's probably the next Lama Su or other such throwaway character with a small part. Not that we don't have enough plot to wrap up with the existing characters, we need to add in more to sell more toys.
Post
#77377
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77377/action/topic#77377
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Starboy
I think Luke and Vader should have remained on the death star. Done the whole saving, reconciliation thing right there in the throne room. It would have been tragic, but not dark. Tragic in a fulfilling sort of way. Vader had obviously fulfilled his destiny, to have that the fulfillment of Luke's destiny as well would have upped the ante.

I understand that wasn't the tone they were looking for, but it would have been a "bold move" that lucas likes so much.


And with all of the Sith and Jedi truly wiped out, the Force would have truly been balanced. *sigh*
Post
#77376
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77376/action/topic#77376
Time
Though the Ewoks themselves didn't offend me, I have always had a problem with part of their plot. If somebody was going to be seen as a god among Ewoks, it would have been Chewbacca. Lucas described the Ewoks as short, furry, primative cousins to Chewbacca. Meanwhile, C-3PO was seen as a god, and strangely, R2 wasn't. I guess all that glitters is gold.

And while I'm thinking about it, why were they ready to eat R2 and not Leia? They may be primitive, but if they were ready to eat Chewie (Chewy? ) and the two male humans, why not the female too? You think they'd be able to tell quickly that R2 wasn't edible but that Leia was.
Post
#77286
Topic
Qui Gon's death.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77286/action/topic#77286
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Darth Mirax
I think there has been a misunderstanding here. Did the novel say that Obi-wan and Owen were brothers???????????????// See looki at me. I'm confused now!


Yes. I'll quote the book directly from Chapter 3, page 66.
Quote

"Your insight serves you well," Ben nodded. He quickly became stern though. "Bury your feelings deep down, Luke. They do you credit, but they could be made to serve the Emperor." [here is where the film cuts to the rebel fleet, but the novel continues.]

Luke tried to comprehend what his old teacher was saying. So much information, so fast, so vital ... it almost made him swoon.

Ben continued his narrative. "When your father left, he didn't know your mother was pregnant. Your mother and I knew he would find out eventually, but we wanted to keep you both as safe as possible, for as long as possible. So I took you to live with my brother Owen on Tatooine ... and your mother took Leia to live as the daughter of Senator Organa, on Alderaan."

The book continues with about another page of dialogue about Leia growing up as an Organa, and how she became the leader of her cell of the Alliance.
Post
#77191
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77191/action/topic#77191
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: mrbarbar
Let me get this strait. You purchased the DVD’s so you could complain about them?


I purchased them so I could have them and enjoy them on DVD. It is a version of the film that merits repeated viewing, and it is the only official version on DVD. Despite how certain changes screwed up the story, they are still largely great films. By not purchasing them, however, one does not reserve any rights to recourse against the manufacturer. Unless a truckload of DVDs falls on your head, the DVDs have not wronged you if you didn't buy them. If you did buy them as I did on opening day, and were expecting a flawless transfer as all the advance press and hype suggested, then you were wronged. True creative changes aside, the set has technical flaws that have been better addressed in other threads on this board. If you purchased this disc, you have the right to claim for damages, which you wouldn't have if you hadn't purchased the disc. And if you are bootlegging or pirating the movie without an official license in your posession, then you not only have no rights to claim damages, you are a target for civil litigation AND criminal prosecution. Best defense: Have a legitimate licensed copy in your posession.
Post
#77075
Topic
The Next Superman
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77075/action/topic#77075
Time
I think Lucas is becoming more analogous to Ed Wood, while McCallum is more analogous to Peters. Hmmm ... now that I think about it, Peters is actually more original than McCallum. Peters' ideas may be the stupidest in Hollywood, but at least he's trying to come up with something. McCallum really seems to just be George's little toadie. I'm not sure what he really does, since George is the Exec Producer anyway. Manage the day-to-day production schedules?
Post
#77072
Topic
Qui Gon's death.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77072/action/topic#77072
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
Well Lucas says the movie Novels are canon, so I think it is allready part of the continuity....


*sigh* Except for that part in ROTJ where Ben tells Luke that Owen was his brother. Lucas has since abandoned that bit of cannon for the "Step-brother" relationship (which I actually think works better anyway).
Post
#77069
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/77069/action/topic#77069
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: Starboy


As for bootlegging, it appears we have some legal counsel on the forum. Digitalman, am I right in stating that you are allowed to own backup copies of media which you have paid for? i.e. I can rip mp3's of songs when I own the album? So if I own the VHS version of the "faces" release, isn't it legal for me to obtain that same material in a different format? I have paid for the rights for personal use of the movie. Honest question, not a challenge.


Yes and no. First, I should be clear that I am not a lawyer, but I have done much, much, much legal research into First Amendment rights and into copyright law. None of what I'm about to tell you will get you to pass the bar, but it is based on fact and precedent. Please don't make me cite the references. I don't stake my freedom on any of this, but all of the research I have done points to these conclusions.

Yes, you ARE allowed to own backup copies of media which you paid for. Unfortunately, if a DVD is digitally encrypted, it is currently illegal for you to break the encryption scheme under a different law. This was the entertainment industry's way of getting around the "backup" issue. They made it illegal to engage in the technical process that allows you to back up a disc, even if you have the right to make a backup. Kinda like in Monty Python's Life of Brian ... Stan had the right to have babies, even if he couldn't actually have them. ;-) Personal note: I think it was beautiful that this incredible digital encryption scheme that was designed to protect DVDs was promptly hacked by a (then) 13-year-old kid. Even greater is that he released the code into the public domain, where it spread like wildfire, making it damn near impossible to police. If you cannot effectively police a policy, then it becomes unenforcable and new precedent is created for the owner of the copyright selectively enforcing his rights, and thus making his case much weaker. Did you know that the code for breaking the DVD encryption has actually been on t-shirts and worn into the courtroom by citizens when the issue was tried?

Anyway, what is NOT legal would be for you to own backups on a format that you haven't purchased. If you owned the original Faces VHS release, you could back that up to DVD for your own purposes. Or, if a friend gave you a copy of his backup of the same edition, and you still owned your official releases, that would be legal too. But if you did not buy the Laserdisc version, then technically you wouldn't have the right to own a backup of that format. Laserdiscs were mastered using a different process, and often contained different content such as widescreen format, commentaries and AC3 sound.

An analogy in the music world is this: You CAN take an album, cassette, or original CD of which you own a legal copy and re-encode it into MP3. If a friend owned this original CD too, and he ripped an MP3 version and gave it to you, that too wouldn't be a crime. However, if he gave you a rip of a "remastered" version of the CD and you only had the original edition, that would actually be a crime. (For example, the original Pink Floyd's "The Wall" vs the Remastered version). The reason is that the Sound Recording (as defined by the Library of Congress) would be an altered form. See, there are two kinds of copyrights, one for the conceptual work, called "Performing Arts" (PA for short) and one for the actual recorded form, called "Sound Recording" (SR for short). If the copyright holder remasters a CD or a movie, the physical form has changed, if not the conceptual work. (Greedo shooting first does not apply here ... that was a change in concept and would have required an update to the PA copyright too.) When I record a demo of my own material, I copyright the music and lyrics using the PA form AND the sound recording on a SR form. Then, when I have it remixed in the studio for proper release, I have to amend the SR form to include the updated work. If I change any lyrics or music, I have to update the PA form as well.

The ultimate question becomes "Who really cares?" If you owned the THX VHS set, and you obtained a backup of the Faces Laserdisc set on DVD, it is highly unlikely that you *would* be prosecuted, even if you *could* be prosecuted. Your intent was to preserve a movie which you bought legally on a format that won't deteriorate. If the master wasn't from the same strike, but the PA content didn't change, who really cares? Only uptight money grubbing lawyers and very anal-retentive coypright holders. Further, if you actually bought the official DVD (in addition to all your historic purchases) LFL and Fox would be much less likely to go after you for backing up of one of your previous editions, even if the source of the format were different. Reason being, you wouldn't be accepting this backup in lieu of their legitimate product. In short, if you aren't affecting their bottom line, they frankly don't give a rat's ass. But if you're selling backups, or accepting backups without any legal license in your posession, you're a target.

Mike Verta's site explains it so eloquently. His "restoration" is coming solely from compiling the various formats he owns, and he has no intent of selling the finished product. More power to him.

I'm more interested in the legal arguments around "backing up" movies that you have rented. There is a serious grey area there that hasn't been totally resolved. There is a concept called "time shifting" that legally allows you to record a program off of TV and watch it later. If you rent a movie but don't have time to watch it during the rental period, can you legally "time shift" by recording the movie and then watching it at your leisure? This is a serious debate going on in copyright law, and it will only take one judge with the balls to say "Yes" to that question to turn Hollywood's home video industry on its ear. Blockbuster's stock will plummet on that day, but will then skyrocket after sales go up -- when everybody starts renting movies and backing them up, rather than purchasing them outright.
Post
#76946
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/76946/action/topic#76946
Time
The biggest reason why I "cave" to the official DVDs, is that it gives me greater license to complain about what is wrong with them. When you are a paying customer, you have much more ground to stand on to get the defects changed (hence my post about my dealings with LFL, Fox, and the BBB). That is the very foundation of tort law. If you haven't paid for anything, then the company hasn't wronged you. You may be voting with your wallet, true, but in this real world, that vote doesn't add up to much, given the 100 million+ copies that have already flown off the shelves.

The second biggest reason, why I "cave" is to indulge in some of the great fan-provided material. Namely the OT rips and prequel reedits that are being created here. If you trade bootlegs of your favorite band, you're less likely to be hunted down by their legal eagles because you're more likely to have bought all of their official releases anyway. i.e. You're not affecting the bottom line. (Note: Pirating is something different than bootlegging and this is rightly a concern in Hollywood). However, if you engage in bootlegging without supporting the official releases, you're opening yourself to more legal action, frankly because bootlegging is illegal. If you have the legal argument "but I bought the legitimate, official copy anyway" they are likely to leave you alone and drop any charges. Nobody wants to sue or prosecute a customer in good standing (for fear of what the bad press could do). It's the customer who is stealing who will get the legal smackdown.

Post
#76906
Topic
StarWarsLegacy.com - The Official Thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/76906/action/topic#76906
Time
Originally posted by: mverta


I've considered it, but there's a line there... I'm not sure I'm comfortable crossing it. Lucasfilm is watching the site and has given me a pass with the screencaps so far, and I really don't want a C&D. Not that a C&D would prevent me from doing the restoration, but it would prevent me from sharing it, and I think it's important for the effort to have a public face for so many reasons... Anyway, we'll see.


Thanks for the explanation. It's interesting that Lucas has paid attention to your site. Makes me wonder if he's at all remorseful for the half-assed job they did at the release. I'm sure he'll use your site as a guide to fix everything that was broken and, instead of releasing corrected discs to those of us who have already paid, he's just going to make us buy them again. And then after we've paid again, he'll release the HD-DVD version and make us pay yet again.
Post
#76904
Topic
Director's Cuts?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/76904/action/topic#76904
Time
Quote
Originally posted by: jeffreyschmid
This Rick McCallum guy who Lucas has producing the new movies is a no talent ass clown. Why doesn't he have someone like Spielberg or Zemekis in the seat?!?


He needs to have Spielberg directing. Spielberg even wanted to direct, but Lucas wanted to retain the "glory" for himself. Had Spielberg directed Episode I, I bet (a) we'd have gotten Haley Joel Osment as Anakin, (b) Qui-Gon's character would have been cut and melded into Obi-Wan's character, as he should have been, and (c) Jar Jar and the Gungans would have been something entirely different. I'm not sure what, but it would have been different, and most likely, would have been better.

We then would have had Leo as Anakin in Ep II. Notice that Spielberg has worked with both of these potential Anakins since they were turned down by Lucas, and he's gotten some of the most amazing performances out of them. And did anybody have trouble seeing Leo as a 17 year old in Catch Me If You Can? No. But this was Lucas' reason for not using him in Episode II.

When it comes to directing, George Lucas is a brilliant executive producer.
Post
#76902
Topic
ROTJ is worse than I remember.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/76902/action/topic#76902
Time
Whereas I've grown to love ESB as my favorite movie of all time (it was my least favorite SW film as a kid), I've always enjoyed ROTJ too. The Ewoks never offended me as much as they seemed to offend so many. Yes, wookiees would have been better, and yes, GL punked out to serve the kiddie crowd, which I now understand. But the Ewoks still don't offend me. Gungans offend me, but not Ewoks. Hayden not withstanding, the official DVD was the most enjoyable viewing of ROTJ I've seen yet.

Anyway, I found that on the DVD, for the first time in the history of ROTJ, the Rancor scene didn't look like complete crap. They clearly worked to remaster that whole sequence and it doesn't look like a giant blue screen mess anymore. Even the scene where Luke jams the bone it its mouth looks like it should have. This sequence was always the gut-wrencher for me, because it looked so horribly fake before. Now it looks on par with the rest of the FX in the trilogy. It doesn't look like it's been screwed with either. It just seems that the layers were color corrected and recomposited.

That said, I still want an unmolested OT version on DVD. Sometimes you just want to sing Lapti Nek and Yub Yub. Well, maybe not Yub Yub.