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Asha

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Join date
24-Sep-2004
Last activity
12-Dec-2009
Posts
116

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Post
#101607
Topic
New Doctor Who
Time
OK ... I might as well ask here: is anyone taping these new Dr. Who episodes in a North America-friendly format? Are you sweet and generous enough to hook a sister up?

If so, kindly PM me. I'd be willing to cover any costs for your trouble. I'd offer a trade, but I'm not sure I have anything folks here would want ... I've more rare old 70's horror to offer than modern sci-fi.
Post
#101603
Topic
So, are all the Stormtroopers from IV-VI clones?..
Time
For kicks, here's the full text of the 1981 article (via Google cache):

Quote

ORIGIN

The creation of an Imperial Stormtropper. A cloned man is one of a group of
genetically identical humans, an assembly-line product. He is a thinking
man, but he serves a specific purpose and no other. A clone has no
mother; only his trainers, and he accepts his fate because he believes
it is inevitable. A clone is, physically and emotionally, a normal man.
He simply has no human rights and no name. He is the property of the
Emperor. Soldires fully formed in the growth tanks quickly proved
impractical. Scientists found themselves the befuddled fathers of
one hundred sixty pound blubbering idiots. A fetus is now removed
from the hatchery after a gestation peiord of sixty weeks and is delivered
immediately into the hands of its trainers.

TRAINING

As kids, Stormtroopers live like hardened cell block inmaes only
barely under control. Hundreds of nast little orphans with only
one thing on their minds: the sheer unparalleled joy of a good raid.
These boys know that they are special and they strut with the
proud arrogance of samurai. Their military education is picked
up as naturally as an infant learns to talk, and any purpose other
than their preordained future as commandos is inconceivable. By
the time they are actually contracted into service, each Trooper
is anxious to fulfill his common lifelong ambition; to wear the
Imperial armor, and to be carried away with the Star Fleet into
incredible adventure and battle. Trainees are generally devoid
of imagination, but after years of rough talk and stories of
conflicts lost and won, indiviual temperaments emerge.

An introduction of the TIM armored spacesuit: a white eggshell worn
like a second skin and made of super lightweight Impervium. Many
troopers become so attached and dependent on the suits that they
fear to remove them. A black, two piece body temperature control
glove is worn under the armor and is adjustable for comfort.
Eighteen pieces of armor, which include the battery box and control
devices, snap together to form an effective anti-laser cocoon.
Indirect hits are reflected off the surface of the armor, though
it provides little protection against a well-aimed piercing blast.
During the off-duty hours, only the body glove is worn. Each
trooper is issued two body gloves, one set of armor and spare
parts. His helmet features automatic polarized lenses and voice-
activated transceiver. Belts include specialized survival equipment
concentrated ration, emergency batteries, and a Comlink. Additional
equipment is issued for desert and arctic use. Impervium resist
decay so effectively that early models of the spacesuit can still
be found near century-old battle sites. They bring high prices
as souvenirs and privateers rebuild them for another fifty years
of good use.

PROMOTION

Promotion to Squad Leader comes with battle experience and long
months of straight duty. Just staying alive long enough helps,
most old Troopers are Squad Leaders . Real promotion, however,
is a step up to the Imperial Guards. Each guard is assigned
to an Executive of the Imperium. Governor Moff Tarkin's personal
guard....forty men. Lord Darth Vader's personal guard...twelve
men. Snappy uniforms and light duty. A guard travels with his
assignment, usually to the plushest environments. There are
hazards. The personal ambitions of the leader one is assigned
to protect may give rise to litle-publicized but very lethal
feuds. The size of a titled officer's private army is a factor
in realizing his political goals, and Imperial Guards often find
themselves in the role of hit men. It is a satisfying position.
A Guard never feels he is playing the traitor by assassinating
rival Imperial Officers. Troopers have always been taught that
the enemy are worthless insects to stomped out; but a guard who
has successfully overcom or defended against other Imperial Guards
feels that he has defeated an oppenent worthy of the effort. A
healthy spirit of competition exists in their ranks. No one is
exactly sure what qualities make a clone worthy of promotion - a
special alertness perhaps - but they are much envied. Imperial
Guards are allowed liquor and women.

RETIREMENT

Only a small percentage of Troopers survive to retirement age.
As they get older, they are assigned to light duties; training,
communications, stores. Eventually they are sent to the Troopers'
Rest camp on the holiday planet of Sochi. There are tales of
Troopers who, captured by enemies or wounded and abandoned by their
companions, now live and breathe outside the influence of the
Empire. They have names. Without their armor, they are almost
indistinguishable from the general population. Of course, such
cases are rare. Officially they do not exist. For the most
part however, Imperial Stormtroopers remain loyal 'lifers'
dedicated to the preposition that the only good alien is a dead one.
Post
#101601
Topic
So, are all the Stormtroopers from IV-VI clones?..
Time
Quote

Originally posted by: ricarleite
Quote

Originally posted by: Asha
Ah-ha!! I knew I wasn't hallucinating this! The stormtroopers were first categorized as clones in the old "World of Star Wars" special.

Link #1

Link #2


Bizarre... But I'm pretty sure this is just an old, weird theory created back then, but with no real meaning now. Stormtroopers from ANH on are NOT clones. Period.



Well, clearly the stormtroopers WERE clones back when the original movies were out (that was an authorized and widely available guide at the time largely based on Lucas' scripting). And don't forget: Lucas said recently (in the AotC commentary?) that Jango's head-bumping was passed along to future stormtroopers. So there's no "period" here. Personally, I can't see why Lucas would introduce clone troopers who look exactly like the stormtroopers, only to ditch the clone concept in favor of recruiting troops. The commentary on the Clone Wars DVD also suggests that future stormtroopers are all clones. Maybe Revenge of the Sith will shed some light on this, but I doubt it.
Post
#101469
Topic
ROTS: poll, who's already got their tickets?
Time
I've seen all of the prequels the first time at a dinky old theater that sells the midnight tickets starting at 4:00 PM the day of the show. They don't do advance tickets. The best part is: the theater doesn't advertise the shows (you have to ask) and they always hand-write the title of the SW film on the ticket of another movie, so they're probably keeping the proceeds for themselves. They did the same for the LoTR movies.

None of the midnight Star Wars shows have sold out in the past, though some guy brought a lawnchair to the theater last time and "camped out" ... at 11:45 PM, just so it could be said that *someone* in the town camped out for Star Wars.

So anyway, that's my plan for seeing Revenge of the Sith next month ... I'll buy my tickets at 4:00 PM that day and I'll show up at the theater 15 minutes ahead of time. No fuss, no muss, no advance tickets required.
Post
#101465
Topic
So, are all the Stormtroopers from IV-VI clones?..
Time
Exactly! The trade federation is using droids. So why didn't the republic make its own droid army between Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones? Yeah, the Jedi can kick bot ass, but why waste Jedi time on robots when the republic could have built robots to fight robots?

Of course, Palpatine was probably in charge of defense for the republic.

Either way, the "twist" of having the clones serve as "good guys" in AotC was a poor choice, and it really raised questions about how much the Jedi value human freedom. The only redeeming things I've seen come out of Lucas' decision to make the Jedi lead the clone army were the cool special forces troopers in the Clone Wars cartoons. I mean, when I used to play Star Wars as a kid, my Stormtroopers were always unique and badass even though they were totally disposable in the films, so it was nice to see a few cartoon troopers who *almost* had individual personalities.
Post
#101462
Topic
So, are all the Stormtroopers from IV-VI clones?..
Time
I don't mind the Stormtroopers being clones when the Empire is making the clone army. It's creepy and evil to create an army of disposable humans programmed to die on command. The Empire is all about being evil, so the clone army fits with the Empire's profile.

I HATE the fact that the Jedi employed the clone army without questioning the morality of what they were doing. The clones are essentially slaves from birth, and the Jedi accepted their roles as slavemasters without so much as blinking in "Attack of the Clones."
Post
#101452
Topic
So, are all the Stormtroopers from IV-VI clones?..
Time
I'm not sure why, but as a kid in the 70's and 80's I was quite certain the stormtroopers were all clones. Maybe it's mentioned in one of the Han Solo books or a Lando book or what have you. I know I didn't arrive at that conclusion on my own. I always thought that the soldiers in drab uniforms were real human recruits and the troopers were clones. [In one of the books, Han Solo's backstory involved him training to be an officer and losing his rank when he saved Chewbacca.]

Also, didn't Lucas say that Jango hitting his head was meant to suggest that his clumsiness was passed-down to the stormtrooper in the original Star Wars? That sort of ends the debate.

As for why the stormtroopers can't shoot worth crap and don't speak with Kiwi accents -- well, assuming Lucas doesn't re-dub every piece of Stormtrooper dialogue for the next special edition (and I bet he wants to) -- I would sort of accept the idea that, like the technology of prequel universe vs. the original films, the clones have dulled under the rule of the empire. The empire doesn't "grow them like they used to," and that's why the troopers have bad aim. The clones could have lost their accents over the years because they're not being grown by the same company by the time of the original Star Wars (and why would an accent be genetic anyhow?).
Post
#101438
Topic
Favourite film out of original trilogy?
Time
Quote

Er.. Lucas was going to call it that originally


Yeah? And he was originally going to call the third film "Revenge of the Jedi," but you don't see people using that title, do you?

And please don't give me Lucas' new spiel about purposely mis-naming RotJ to thwart bootleggers, because it's a lie ... it's re-writing history. So is calling these movies by titles they weren't released under.

Bottom line: the film I saw a zillion times in 1977 & 1978 was simply called "Star Wars."
Post
#101424
Topic
Favourite film out of original trilogy?
Time
Quote

CGI has not killed STAR WARS(again I don't like referring to it as ANH)


I agree ... on both counts. (I refuse to call Star Wars "A New Hope," Episode IV, or any other revisionist name.)

The original Star Wars film is a classic, and I'd take its visuals over any modern CGI. Star Wars had its own style ... CGI *is* a style, and it's not exclusive to Star Wars.

ESB tells a more involved, more compelling story than Star Wars, so that's why it's the better film. The original Star Wars ranks very close behind Empire on the scale of greatness, though.
Post
#101249
Topic
Do you think that Lucas' directing style has changed since 1977?
Time
I think Lucas is just as bad with his actors as he was back in the day (and think about this: if you knew you were being filmed for a doc, wouldn't you take the opportunity to dispell the myth that you can't communicate with actors?).

Despite Lucas, the original cast had a chemistry which this new cast lacks. I think it's because the original cast had sets, props, locations, etc. to "get them in the mood." This new cast spends 90% of its time shadowboxing in front of blue/green screens. The actors are never brought into the Star Wars world, so how are they expected to act like they're really in the world?
Post
#71614
Topic
<strong>The Cowclops Transfers (a.k.a. the PCM audio DVD's, Row47 set) Info and Feedback Thread</strong> (Released)
Time
My seven-dvd set arrived Friday. I just finished watching Star Wars and ESB ... along with the SW bonus DVD (great menu, by the way). I'm taking a break before Return of the Jedi.

I've tears in my eyes right now ... no, not from watching the TV for five hours. My husband (not a terribly big Star Wars fan) is laughing at me for it ... but I can't tell you how wonderful it is to see these films in this form again. Since he's the man with the online funds, he ordered the DVDs for me (though I wish he'd grabbed the Holiday Special, dammit ... he didn't think we'd need it since we have an old video). He doesn't mind the Special Editions, but he understood why I refused to buy the new DVD release (which I have seen .... I just won't buy it).

I never owned a LaserDisc player. My videos are from the 80's and they're full-screen. So this is actually the first time I've seen the untainted Star Wars films widescreen since I saw them in the theatre back in the day. And because my original videos are in such a sorry state, I haven't watched these movies in their original form since right before the Special Edition was released (which I also have on video).

After two lackluster prequels and the horrible CGI tampering of the original films, I can finally resume loving these films again. This set has completely reminded me why I fell in love with these films ... it's been so hard to enjoy what Lucas has done to Star Wars in the past seven years. So thank you, TR47.

The quality of the DVD transfers is excellent. If I never obtained another Star Wars DVD set, I'd be completely satisfied with this presentation. And the extras are superb ... they really take me back.

Yes, my ESB has a slight black pause before the welding scene ... I couldn't care less. The DVDs play fine on both of my DVD players ... my crappy player didn't even hesitate to play these (and it's about 50/50 in playing VCDs and DVDRs). The set is perfect ... it's everything I'd hoped for and then some. You've treated these films with a respect that Lucas is incapable of.

And let me also say that, as someone who's worked for low-budget "foreign" video/DVD distributors, the effort you've put into this presentation is commendable. The TLC makes it something special. I wish some of my previous collaborators put half the effort into their final products that you've devoted to these Star Wars DVDs.

Again, thank you so much TR47 ... you've made a grown woman cry. Thank you for making these available.
Post
#71316
Topic
Lack of humanity in prequels?
Time
Funny, because I always thought that the ONE thing Attack of the Clones needed to spice up that droll final stadium scene was a synchronized CGI drag chorus-line dance number ... I'd love it if the Jedi Knights ripped off their robes to reveal sequin mini-dresses and platform shoes as they belted out, "I Will Survive."

Forget Disco Duck ... what the world needs is "Disco Dooku!" See, THAT'S entertainment.

Quote

Anakin and Padmes relationship is just one based on looks. Get over it.


Yeah, that's exactly why their relationship is so pathetic: just like the prequels, it's all heartless eyecandy.

Leia and Han shared a very compelling (and at one point, very unexpected) relationship. The princess and the pirate. Both were smart; both were heroic. One was royalty; the other was a man with a price on his head.

Ew ... but the prequels go from "Are you an angel?" to "I am haunted by the kiss you should never have given me." Ugh.

The romance in the prequels lacks tension and dimension.

Come to think of it, EVERYTHING about the prequels lacks tension and dimension.

Look, I don't even blame CGI for the prequels' creative failures. As Peter Jackson proves out, CGI can be very effective in the right hands ... those hands are not Lucas'. The prequels feel cold because of poor character development, bad storytelling, bad direction (which resulted in bad acting), and too much attention focused on merchandising.



Post
#68852
Topic
Star Wars T.V. 2006! Kevin Smith wanted?
Time
I know Smith's a "fan" and all, but I don't think this is good news. For one thing, I don't like his movies AT ALL ... even if I did, his style is certainly not Star Wars. For another, I remember reading a gushing review he wrote about Attack of the Clones when he caught a preview. He played into Lucas' official line with Phantom Menace, too ... saying that it was a fine film and the reason it was being critically slaughtered was because it was a children's movie and he'd "grown up."

To be honest, I'd highly doubt any Star Wars TV effort would be sustainable, even if Peter Jackson or James Cameron was at the wheel. Been there, done that with the Ewok TV movies.
Post
#67965
Topic
Why is Lucas such a Knob?
Time
This item appears on IMDB's homepage today:

Quote

Lucasfilm has quashed a Seattle, WA screening of Star Wars by a local improvisational comedy group that redubs movies live. The Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported Saturday that Lucasfilm sent the nonprofit Jet City Improv a cease-and-desist letter after learning on an Internet site about plans for the screening. The group said that it was the first time in seven years of performing such spoofs that it has received such a letter. "In order to protect our copyright, anyone who plans to commercially exhibit our films has to go through the appropriate channels," a Lucasfilm spokeswoman told the newspaper.


So Lucasfilm IS watching the internet ... maybe they should be devoting their time to making a decent film instead.
Post
#67582
Topic
Info Wanted: How many bootleg DVD sets are there that are worth talking about?
Time
Hey folks ... I've tried to private message a couple members here about DVD/DVD-Rs of the original, untampered movies. I gather TR47 is swamped and going away ... MeBeJedi is working on a super-spiffy version. But I haven't heard from anyone else I messaged.

I own VHS copies of the first three films, but nothing else. I refuse to buy this DVD set from Lucas.

Sorry if I'm a pest, but if someone can "hook a sister up" with some info on the original films, I'd appreciate it.