Anchorhead

none said:

Mielr, (summons the spirit of Lando) you've gotta give people more time... to join a site.  Was the weekend, plus some bad weather on one coast, which could mean part of your audience never saw the page.  ...and you are dealing with a prickly bunch round here who don't use many social networking sites.

*puts on a GL hat* Tweaked the logo again. (using Tyrphanax, Erikstormtrooper & LexX's suggestions [passing the buck already])  See now what Anchorhead was upto, so modified the 'E' and uprighted the 'A'.

 

These are the best versions.  I like the graphic version, but not for a car window (which is where I plan on putting one).  Good job, None.

Hey, where did the Facebook page go?  I was going to forward it to some fellow nerds.

LexX said:

I'm pretty sure that the easter egg is the Holiday Special cartoon.

Man, there's no way it's not that.  After Empire, Lucas became fucking married to that character.  Talk about over exposing, over explaining, taking away the mystique, and then running a character into the ground...

BobaBobaBobaBobaBobaBobaJabba'sPalaceBobaBobaBobakewljetpackBobaSarlac
BobaBobaBobaBobaSEsBobaBobaBobaBobaprequelsBobaBobaBobaBobaEUBobaBobaBobaBoba
BobaasachildBobaBobaBobaEUBobaBobaBobanewvoiceBobaBobaBobaBobaBobaEUBobaBoba
BobaBobaBobaBobaHallmarkornamentBobaBobaBobaBobaadinfinitum

He was great as a mysterious bounty hunter in Empire, but he went downhill quickly. Lucas is even willing to dip into the God awful it doesn't exist Holiday Special if it will get him more mileage and more revenue stream out of Boba. Truthfully, I can't stand the character anymore.

none said:

Would like to try these out with Luke/Leia version of this original logo. Is there a vector, Anchorhead?

No.  I found the Luke\Leia version on a couple of internet sites, but none of them were high-res.

That's called a spur - and good catch, by the way.  Looks better.

For the record, this is all None's baby.  All I did was a small tweak.  To me, the part that makes the whole thing work is the lack of forced perspective on the COM.  That really makes the fact that the logo is a web address stand out.  Simple, but very effective for what we're trying to accomplish.

Also, I really like that this points to a very well done web site. A web site now referenced in blogs by respected film critics and home video reviewers. Not some nerd site that looks like an old Geocities mess with a bunch of pictures of toys and anti-Lucas rants. 

When they get to Kaminski's site they'll find an intelligent, well-written series of articles and exposes detailing the history of the film, its suppression, and Lucas' continually changing series of lies about all of it.  A site backed up with facts and examples, run by a published author who is an expert on all things Star Wars.

It's this intelligent approach, based on education, that holds any hope of ever getting a proper release of the original films.

Something like this maybe.

none said:

Here's a version with 'Save', don't have Anchorhead's version for the Luke/Leia SW, but it can be swapped.

This first one of yours looks much better than what did.  Simple and to the point.

I tweaked the word Save a touch.

I think we should apply your idea to the more well known logo and see how it looks.  That would be instantly recognizable to everyone and possibly be a better attention getter.  I'll mess around with it.

timdiggerm said:

Anchorhead, it's good, but I have to agree with Silver - It needs the "SAVE"

I did this at work today - you know, on my lunch break ;-)  Anyway, the original PSD is on my work machine.  I'll have to remote in to my work machine tonight and redo it.  I'll be able to re-post it remotely also.

And maybe just the url for savestarwars.com, as I feel like ot.com is a little less publicly presentable.

Hey, man - what are trying to say? 

;-)

canofhumdingers said:

SilverWook said:

My idea for a bumper sticker is it simply says "Save Star Wars" using the '77 logo, with "Save" in matching font at the top.

Have the url to Zombie's site and/or OT.com below it.

 This is a GREAT idea for a sticker.  Someone make it, NOW!!

doubleofive said:

 

 its moments when I stop to think about things like that that I envy you, Anchorhead. I can't help but think of the prequels instead of making my own version in my head, but you don't even look at ESB or RotJ... *exasperated exhale*

 

Well, I will say it's a blessing alright, but it's not something I can take any sort of credit for because it's not something I've had to put any energy into. It's not some sort of inner strength or larger plan on my part.  It's just where I am in the fandom now.  What moved me in 1977 stopped moving me in 1983.  It just happens to work very well for where I am now - NPR & Novels Only.

I read your post last night and wanted to come up with a similar scenario before I replied.  I think it's very similar to The Matrix.  A lot of people loved the first one, so they went along for the ride.  By the time the conclusion to the trilogy was released, there were a fair number of fans who didn't care for it. 

I worked with a Matrix uber-nerd who swore off the Wachowskis after Revolutions because they ruined the awesome story.  I mean really hated how they steered the story and characters - just the first two films only, the third is terrible, they're ruined the franchise, disgusted, etc, etc.  She just about couldn't say enough bad about the Wachowskis and the third film's destruction of the trilogy - the mythology of all that was The Matrix.

Comparing The Matrix 2004 with where I was with Star Wars 1983 -  it's easy to see the parallels.  A huge blockbuster spawns a cultural phenomenon and global fanbase, it gets a sequel that the fanbase really digs, they anxiously await the conclusion to the trilogy, it gets released and they feel betrayed to the point of saying goodbye on varying levels.  If the Wachowskis decide to go with a second trilogy in twenty years, some of those fans who felt betrayed may not come back into the fold. 

That's just Star Wars for me.  I jumped ship in 1983 and never came back.  Instead, I found a new and much better way to escape into that universe. For all practical purposes with regards to Star Wars, I'm Lucas-free, since '83. ;-)

Oh, and I have my demons too.  I'm a much bigger Planet Of The Apes nerd than I am a Star Wars nerd - and I have that piece of crap Burton film to deal with. A film I've seen three times (I let it loop on a flight back from Rome several years ago). To me, it's dirtied the franchise and it won't go away, including the EU written around it.

"Burton!! - you maniac!!...daaamn yoouu...damn you to Hell!!"

Baronlando said:

 These are the only films that I probably go back and listen to and know that and making sure that all the right elements are there, because if something is just slightly off, my childhood DNA screams “wrong!”.  

How does your childhood DNA feel about giant cartoon animals from the '90s?

Very well put, sir.  More proof that he's just a lackey towing the line.

doubleofive said:

 

Anchorhead said:

Character question for the more versed, if I may. 

When did the name Palpatine first show up?  I see it's in the Zahn novels and I was wondering if it's another contribution of his, the way Coruscant is.  I don't remember it in Return, but I'm not very familiar with that film.

It's not used in any of the films, but I believe the novelization of Star Wars calls him Palpatine.

*walks over to new bookshelf in the living room*

Yes, right here on the first page of the prologue. "Senator Palpatine"

 

Thank you, and I genuflect at your knowledge.  ;-)

TV's Frink said:

Anchorhead said:

I was only 14 in 1976

The rarely seen "Make Frink Feel Young" post!

;-)

;-)

That original logo was very cool looking.  Many years ago when I was in IT and had an office not open to the general populace of the company, I made a full-size one-sheet using a high-res version of an early McQuarrie idea. It had that logo.

Interesting.  I don't remember pre-hype like that. I was only 14 in 1976 and not really a convention goer just yet.  That would be a year or so later.

Character question for the more versed, if I may. 

When did the name Palpatine first show up?  I see it's in the Zahn novels and I was wondering if it's another contribution of his, the way Coruscant is.  I don't remember it in Return, but I'm not very familiar with that film.

DuracellEnergizer said:

if Lucas had had respect for Yoda. He might have made him similarily awesome.

Yeah, but then he couldn't have the scenes where Yoda pulls out a lightsaber,  holds it up making a badass face, and then does the obligatory spinning and twirling that's oh so cool.

Kind of funny that they used the Star Wars font and logo shape.  With the real-time  uber-connectivity of today, I don't think you could do that.  Instead of people being fooled as they approached a location shoot - they'd be using it as the banner art for their nerd blog.

TV's Frink said:

Anchorhead said:

Great stuff.  Love seeing the realness of all that.  Funny how different the world was back then.  No super security, aliases, decoy film titles...

Wasn't Blue Harvest the decoy title for Star Wars?

That does seem familiar.  But why a decoy for an unknown franchise in the 70s?  Something seems weird about that.

*gets copy of Secret History Of Star Wars off shelf..starts the research*

Great stuff.  Love seeing the realness of all that.  Funny how different the world was back then.  No super security, aliases, decoy film titles, legal departments to handle leaked photos, etc - just the crew and the actors on the set going about the business of making a movie.  I don't even like the film and yet I saved every picture.  Those were good times.  Innocent times, before the machine started.

captainsolo said:

Reading Heir for the first time was like starting all over again. Magical.

That's it exactly.  It had that mystery and that vastness-of-universe that Lucas quickly did away with after the first two films.  In  the hands of Zahn, Star Wars is a far far away adventure again.

Absolutely fantastic!

I've pretty much covered what I like about the story, as well as Zahn's work overall, so I won't repeat it other than to say again how much I dig the fact that it is a very adult novel.  No cutesy bullshit, no droid antics, no children's comedy.  A serious science fiction story continuing in the vein of the first two films, but with much deeper character development.  Mara was particularly well written.

Truthfully, there's no way this wouldn't make a great film.  I was visualizing it as though I were actually watching it. I also dug that 3PO is a background character and R2 is just a machine, not some larger than life character who flies (honestly - what the fuck, Lucas?).

Anyway, I finished it up a few hours ago and will be starting on Dark Force Rising just after I hit post reply.

georgec said:

I'm going as far as to say that since 2004 and the botched audio issues with A New Hope, and now with confirmation of added dialogue and other changes, Matthew Wood comes across as a complete douche bag who's trying to put as much of his imprint on SW as possible.

Christ, what the hell has happened to Star Wars? Thank heaven for bittorrent - may the originals live on.

I agree.  Dude seems overly excited that he's been able to recreate the almighty Star Wars.  Plus he makes mention of the fact that he and Anthony Daniels are the only people in all 6 films.  I'm not the biggest Daniels fan out there, but no one should put themselves on the same level as him where Star Wars importance is concerned.  Like or dislike, Daniels has been on board since the beginning and that commands some respect.

Bingowings said:

It might be more productive if someone designed a token, like a bank note or bond which said something to effect that the sender of the token promised to purchase a blu-ray set when (and only when) it included a restored HD version of the OT.

 If instead of buying the current sets on the release date token holders posted their promissory to Uncle George he might get an idea of the real greenbacks he is missing out on.

It would need a catchy name and design which people could download and print off.

A Twitter/Facespace campaign could keep tabs on people who sent their bond to Lucas.

There have been some notable people backing some of the activities on here and getting them to endorse the scheme would serve as publicity for positive activism rather than vandalism.

That's more what I was thinking too.  Something along the lines of education instead of something that may be a nuisance, ineffective, or illegal. 

We (OT.com & savestarwars.com) still have some credibility in the film buff community.  I'd hate to see us lose that.  For Christ's sake, The Humdinger went legit**

We may be too hyper-focused sometimes to see it, but respected critics and film bloggers know who we are now.  They understand what is happening and they're starting to write about it.  They're starting to discuss it and address it intelligently.

** Truth be told, I was sorry the issue was addressed and fixed, possibly because of this very site.  I'd rather Star Wars 5.0.2 have the same flaws it had before.  I'd rather casual fans and consumers finally realize that with Lucas it's all selfishness and marketing - not preservation or respect for the films or the people who got him where he is.

doubleofive said:

 

Sorry, I started getting my minifig confused with others. Now I'm taken aback whenever I see my new avatar.

 

That's why I did it also.  I was constantly stopping at other people's posts and thinking it was one of mine.  However, I kept my minifig for future use.  It really does bear an uncanny resemblance.

TV's Frink said:

There's a cool kind? :p

Post of the week.

;-)