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Commander Courage

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16-Aug-2004
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1-Oct-2015
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Post
#102105
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Lol, Trooperman.

I'm sure yours will be superior, I'm just interested in collecting as many fan edits as possible.

Just so you know, what most interested me about this was all the alternate music. I know you've discussed using different music before, but that was mostly from non-Star Wars stuff. What do you thnk about Lapti Nek in the night club, an Imperial March when Obi-Wan surveys the clones, and the Imperial Motiff for the Death Star Theme? The final battle could definitely use some new music too; I really like the music at the very end of the End Credits track of the AotC Soundtrack, and think it would be a good addition, but it's far too short for the whole battle. So what do you say, let's talk music.
Post
#102063
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Good pick on "Shroud of the Darkside." My ONLY reservation with it is that the title is mentioned in the film, which doesn't happen in any of the other films, and cam sometimes come off as a bit odd.

On the opening scroll, you seem to be keeping it as close to the original as possible, but I think "star systems" is more appropriate than "solar systems." I don't know why Lucas didn't think of this, as SOLar systems refers to our star, Sol. Also, would you consider working a line in there to convey its been 10 years since the last movie?
Post
#102065
Topic
The Man Who Would Be Superman
Time
Quote

Originally posted by: Han Solo VS Indiana Jones
It kind of reminds me of Superman III, when Superman was put through this evil phase and his suit got darker and dirtier to reflect his surlier attitude.

Exactly. And while that costume was cool for an "Evil Superman," it just doesn't fly for the REAL suit. Doesn't fly...get it? Superman?

Here's my analysis:
The "S" is WAY too small (what would Alex Ross think?). It is also 3-D, which gives it a tacked-on look. While the suit is a good shade of blue, the red is...well it isn't red; it's maroon. Although the inside of the two-tone cape (!?!) seems to be the correct shade, that's not how things are supposed to work. The collar is too high. The "S" on the belt is alright, but totally unecessary. And there seems to be a diamond pattern in all of the materials.

You know, Dean Cain of "Lois and Clark" didn't have the best suits in Superman history, but they were a lot better than this lame attempt to "update" the look. Like "Batman Begins," the costume, which SHOULD be one of the best aspects of a superhero film, is sadly one of the weakest.
Post
#101764
Topic
A Big Debate for the New Century
Time
Quote

Originally posted by: JediSage
I too am very interested in Christian Apologetics (Duh!) :-) However, I think we need to be careful when saying science MUST match up with the bible. I think there is much evidence of the bible's historical accuracy and authenticity to be sure, however it is not going to answer how an apple falls from the tree (ie: describing how/why gravity works).

I was just saying it was ridiculous for people to say, "Because of the theory of (fill-in-the-blank), the Bible is obviously inaccurate." The key word is theory, and since creation is not testable in a laboratory, theories are all we have. Therefore, I'm going to go with the one presented in the Bible, which has yet to be proven wrong by scientifc FACT. And of course the Bible isn't a textbook explaining the likes of gravity, that is for science, true testable science. The Scientific Method itself will weed-out the nonsense.
Post
#101763
Topic
The Pope
Time
Quote

Originally posted by: Trooperman
Quote

All I know is I heard that Ratzinger is 100% against female clergy, contraception, abortion, homosexuality, and many other things that groups have been fighting for for years.


Thank God for that. Homosexuality is not normal, it's a disorder. It's not something to be "proud" of. So are homosexuals automatically evil and guilty of grave sin? Of course not. They're human beings like the rest of us and should be respected as such. It's the actions (like marriage to one another, anal sex, etc.) that make them sinful.

And abortion is MURDER. Somehow, killing innocent human life before they even leave a woman's womb doesn't quite fit in with the Christian beliefs. A woman's right to choose? Heck, she already chose when she had sex in the first place. Makes me sick.

In total agreement on abortion and homosexuality.

But while I can see where they're coming from with the anti-women clergy, I don't think it should be a "rule." People can have their opinions sure, but that doesn't make it the law of God, even if the people with those opinions hold high postions in the clergy. So, like Warbler, I would welcome an in-depth explanation.

As for contraceptives, I take it this is going by the verse about God knowing you since *before* you were in your mother's womb. That raises a very interesting topic; are contraceptives on par with abortion in preventign would-be babies from being born?
Post
#101761
Topic
Under-Rated Sci-Fi Films
Time
Well it looks as if I OVERRATED Equilibrium. I agree about the emotion stuff, but despite that I found it a powerful commentary on the dangers of a "utopia". And the action wasn't bad either. I still like it better than the Matrix; especially the lack of two horrible sequels.

Quote

Originally posted by: Warbler
Another SF film I consider to be under-rated is Star Trek III. People often say it is one of the worst Star Trek movies, I say it is one the better Star Trek movies.

Yeah, the whole notion of the odd-numbered Star Trek films being bad and the even ones being good is flawed. Sure 1 was a bit sub-par, but the Director's Edition DVD is a vast improvement. 3 is awesome and my personal favorite of the bunch. 5, again, was a little weak, but Shatner got screwed over by the studio who wanted to keep things cheap. The Final Frontier is probably the most underrated of the Trek films, as it actually is closer to the spirit of the original series than any of the other movies. Generations is alright, but they botched Kirk's death and the premise of the Nexus horribly. Insurrection was a disaster. That said, all the even-numbered films up to Nemesis were indeed excellent.
Post
#101626
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Originally posted by: MTHaslett
I think this can be done, but I want to give specific notes when I get my disc working again -- assuming it's even interesting to you.

Are you suggesting showing actual force-vision dreams, akin to what Luke has in ESB and Anakin apparently does in RotS? That sounds very interesting. I think that aspect of the Force has been a missed opportunity in the saga; there's all this talk of meditation, visions, and forseeing the future, but we never really get to see much of it.

Post
#101632
Topic
A Big Debate for the New Century
Time
I'm very into Christian Apologetics is, so this thread is of great interest to me.

The Bible does indeed say that God created the Earth in six days, and that is what I perscribe to. Now, much debate has been raised as to whether that would be six calender days as we know them or very long periods of time. There's the Day-Age theory that uses the verse "a thousand years is as a day, and a day is as a thousand years" to justify things, but in fact, this verse has nothing to do with the creation account. Some of the so called "scientific" theories of today have so many loopholes and flaws that we are disrespecting the Bible if we twist its words to match up with such ridiculous notions. In fact, it is science which should match up with the Bible, and in every TESTABLE circumstance, it does. Creationism actually is the most viable theory when looking at things without the evolution-colored glasses so many wear today. Occam's Razor states "When you have two competing theories which make exactly the same predictions, the one that is simpler is the better." I don't know if I'm misuing the razor in this instance, so if so, let me know, but think about it. Does it makes more sense for such a complicated universe, structured just right to the smallest detail for life to exist, to have come into existence though random chance, or through the intervention of a Surpreme Being?

I apologize if I've covered things that were already mentioned, but I really didn't have time to go through the whole thread. I'll go back and read it all when I get a chance, and look forward to the intelligent discussions that await.
Post
#101630
Topic
What're You Reading Right Now
Time
"Still Me" by Christopher Reeve.

I'm a big Superman fan, so naturally Reeve and of course his tragic accidnet was of great interest to me. But this autobigoraphy isn't about the DC Comics character; it gives you a window into the mind of one of teh great symbols of hope and perserverance of our time. To read of Reeve's struggles and reflections of the life he had before is quite moving, especially when he gets into the specifics of how the accident affects his everyday life. His optimistic outlook on his situation and determination to walk again is indeed heartbreaking now that he has passed, but I recommend it to anyone. It really makes you stop and appreciate the little things in life to many of us take for granted.
Post
#101629
Topic
The Pope
Time
Quote

Originally posted by: Warbler
As far as the Nazi Youth thing, he may have been forced to join. But even so I can't say I'm crazy about their choice for Pope. I was hoping they would choose an African or Latin American.

In agreement on both counts. Having a non-white Pope would have been a nice change of pace, and Benedict XVI is 78 years old! Not to be morbid but that doesn't leave very long for him to make much of an impact, especially after the decades long term of John Paul II.
Post
#100821
Topic
MagnoliaFan Edits: Ep I "Balance Of The Force", and Ep II "The Clone War" (Released)
Time
I think you've missed the point, Chaltab. The Kyber crystal is not intended to be the same one from Splinter of the Mind's Eye; the name is just a homage to on of Lucas' original ideas. In BotF it only serves to flesh out the Gungan/Naboo animosity, Jar-Jar's banishment, and explain what the deal was with the crystal ball at the end celebration.

And I like MagnoliaFan's Jar-Jar over ADigitalMan's; he gives kind of a Han Solo vibe. But there are some things a prefered in ADM's subtitles, such as the Viceroy not recognizing Padme.
Post
#100696
Topic
Star Wars: Deleted Magic (Released)
Time
Well I received my copy last week, and have been EXTREMELY IMPRESSED. This is a totally professional job Garret, and you should be very proud of your accomplishment. Of course, most of it is based off the work of others, but it's all in the presentation. The Deleted Magic backdrops during the interviews were pretty neat; gave the thing a very "official" vibe. And honestly, if you know you won't get sued, you should seriously consider sending Uncle George a copy.

The resequencing of the film is what I found the most interesting; particularly the Battle of Yavin. It's amazing how great an impact editing has on a movie (and gives fan edits all the more importance). And Bigg's line "They're coming in much faster this time" finally makes sense. Seeing the scene at Ben's in its original order was very interesting as well; it flows a lot better!

My only real critique would be some endless repetition of shots. Such as, showing pretty much the same exact thing multiple times with different audio and such. This really stuck out to me in the Falcon's cockpit; it's like that scene would just never end! But I understand your desire to incorporate ALL possible footage, so it's not totally out of place.

Some of the Empire and Jedi stuff I had NEVER seen before, and look forward to the future installments of "Deleted Magic." Keep up the good work, Garret. You're doing a great service to Star Wars fans everywhere.
Post
#100692
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Thought of a couple more possible changes for Episode 2:

-The camera pans UP after the opening scroll, while in all the other films it pans DOWN. Would it be possible to flip things in a way the camera could indeed pan down?
-Corde's line "I've failed you" makes no sense. It was pretty much her job to die in Amidala's place, so that should be cut.
-When Padme arrives in Palpatine's office, Yoda tells her "Seeing you alive, brings warm feelings to my heart." Besides just being really awkward, Padme totally ignores him! So that should be cut.
-Also, Padme just comes out and says "I think Count Dooku was behind it." Um...why would she think that? She offers NO motive. Of course this is to set up Count Dooku's character in the absense of the Lost 20 scene (which hopefully Lucas will restore in a future release), so I'm not sure what can be done with this.

Oh, and I reiterate "Dark Force Rising." The Sith are warping the force as the dark side gains more power, Palpatine gets one step closer to Emperor, and the future army of the Empire is created. A perfect title.
Post
#99843
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
That's some interesting trivia, Ash; I certainly wasn't aware of that. However, based on what Trooper said:
Obi-Wan and Anakin enter the room. (first three notes of Space Odyssey theme).

Dooku turns to face them (the two dramatic chords following).

I'm guessing he's going with the famous fanfare.

Also, I'm assuming everyone here has seen the Revenge of the Sith trailer, in which force lighting is shown, well, in full force. So it IS going to be in the saga before RotJ, like it or not, and the way things are set-up in the film it's going to be pretty much impossible to edit out. Therefore, focusing so much on removing it from Episode 2 to 'save' it for RotJ is futile.
Post
#99833
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
No, you don’t need a life! You need to continue to comment on my edit; I enjoy it.
Haha. As do I. Let the nerdiness continue...

I might change this to include the lightning scene with Yoda if the cut winds up with a weak build-up and finale. I don’t know; the lightning with Yoda actually worked really well dramatically. I’ll think long and hard about that one. But I’m sticking to my guns on Yoda with a lightsaber! (in this film, anyway).

I agree with this stance on things. See how it works and if it falls flat (I'm thinking it will), go with the lightning. I understand your wanting to 'save' it for RotJ, but it's going to be in RotS anyway. And I am also 100% against Yoda's use of a lightsaber in Episode 2.

Your re-edit of the lightsaber duel sounds great too. Using the "2001" theme might be a little odd though, but go for it and see how it works. And since you need to cutaway from the duel at the beginning, why not keep the Padme/gunship stuff after all? That would be a perfect place for her 'recovery' scene.

How much of the Coruscant Elevator scene are you keeping in? That scene sort of rubs me the wrong way, but I'm not sure if it could be cut without making the characters come from nowhere.

Yes, all the gundark talk and forced laughter MUST GO. The whole scene doesn't need to be cut though.
Post
#99728
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Awesome list Trooperman. There's a lot of stuff on there that I had considered doing for my edit one day. Now I will go total obsessed fanboy on you and comment on everything. Yes, I know I need a life.

First of all, I will not be dubbing Anakin until late in the game, possibly not until everything else is finished.
I know this isn't what you meant, but I think it would be a good idea to try and make your edit first without redubbing Anakin at all. That way if it doesn't turn out well we're just stuck with Hayden instead of nothing. But considering the nature of some of the alterations, such as the lakeside scene, this might not be possible.

[One think I don’t think fits is the “younglings” scene with Yoda. It seems to be a crowd-pleasing scene (“Aw, aren’t the little kids cute…”), and I think it also makes Obi-Wan look stupid. He doesn’t need a four year old to suggest that the information was deleted; Obi-Wan would have thought of that. I will still utilize a clip of this scene (maybe starting at the point where Obi-Wan asks Yoda whether it’s impossible for anyone to remove information from the archives.)
I'll be very interested in seeing how this is accomplished; those kids were SO weak.

But the bare midriff outfit especially is not in the style of the OT, and so every effort has been made in my edit to cut it down in the film.
Awwwwww....come on!

[Padme no longer gets on the gunship with Obi-Wan and Anakin; she continues to fight in the arena until we see her next (when she shoots at Dooku’s ship). This streamlines the Dooku chase as well, and we don’t have the “Padme falls off the ship” subplot.
The gunship stuff is good, but it's the scene where the trooper finds her which is incredibly weak. But you can't delete one and not the other I suppose.

[1. I’m keeping the fox logo but replacing the glimmering Lucasfilm logo with the original one, only it’s lifted from the Ewok DVD instead of the OT because it’s of better quality.
I don't really think that matters that much, but since you're going for the 70's feel it makes sense.

Anakin and Padme in the grass field has been reworked considerably...
Good. This scene had potential; I especially liked the insight into the mind of the future Vader.

“Blast, this is why I hate flying” and other dumb one-liners by Obi-Wan have been cut.

Please, please, please, delete "Good call my young Padawan!" Way too Batman and Robin for my taste.

8. You don’t see the back of Mace’s head before he ignites his lightsaber; completely ruins his entrance.
9. “This party’s over.” No longer present; didn’t sound very classy coming from a Master Jedi. A couple silly shots of Jedi igniting their sabers have also been cut.

Both good calls. The latter was Samuel L. Jackson, not Mace Windu. And here's a crazy thought, but have you considered making Mace's lightsaber blue? Either that or making other minor Jedi's blades purple, because only one violet saber in the entire galaxy is just silly.

The pause when Dooku about to kill Obi-Wan and Anakin jumps in has been shortened.

I take it you'll be deleted the horrendus CGI Anakin jumping across the room. HORRIBLE, I say, HORRIBLE!

And in case there was any question, Yoda will not be participating in a lightsaber fight with Count Dooku. Dooku will also not be trying to zap him with electricity. Dooku shouldn’t be concerned about having a “contest” with Yoda; he just wants to get the heck out of there. He also knows Yoda too well to try anything like force lightning against him. Therefore, we have Dooku saying, “I’ve grown more powerful than any Jedi.” He then brings the object down onto the two Jedi. He doesn’t say, “Even you.”
The only problem with all this is that Dooku’s saber is still ignited as he runs inside of his ship, but I still want that shot. It’s only about a dozen frames long, so I’m painting the lightsaber out, frame by frame, in Photoshop.

Since learning of the Yoda/Sidious battle in RotS, I had been considering this as well. However, I think there should be SOME sort of battle between the two, or all the build up with Yoda is for nothing. (And you have to admit, the anticipation of Yoda was one of the best parts of the movie). I suggest the "lightning" portion of the duel should stay. And after Yoda says, "Much to learn, you still have," Dooku does the falling object trick. And if "This is just the beginning" could be worked in there before he runs off, that'd be great, but it would take some very clever edting. The good thing about all this is it:
1-Saves Yoda with a lightsaber for Episode 3
2-Takes out all references to Yoda being Dooku's master (WAY too connected)
3-Removes the set up for another confrontation that doesn't happen

Use deleted Jedi Analysis scene. Dub over robot’s voice (in robot mode in Audio HQ) to say “Dex’s” dialogue and identify the bullet. Delete the diner scene, therefore; not classy.

THANK GOODNESS. That whole thing was ridiculous. Although it would have to be set up that Kamino is a planet of cloners.

Oh, I should probably address the Jar-Jar question...

Whatever it takes to fix Jar-Jar, man. Whatever it takes.

Feel welcome to ask any questions; I’ll be happy to answer when I get the chance. Constructive criticism, suggestions, or new ideas are also welcome; I won’t get offended if you don’t agree on some of my changes; I just might not listen to you if I really like my change!

Certainly. If you're still reading this, then I do have a couple more:

-Editing out the fact that Zam Wessel was a shape shifter was a great decision by MagnoliaFan. If you plan on doing the same, I suggest this dialogue:
ANAKIN: I think he is a she.
OBI-WAN: In that case be extra careful.
That Obi-Wan is such a kidder.
-Boba Fett's childish moments need to be trimmed.
-If you were thinking about re-titling it, I think "Dark Force Rising" would be perfect, but that's just me.

Of course I have the easy job, sitting back making suggestions, and critiquing yours while you're the one doing all of the work. But like I said before, I'm just an obsessed fanboy with delusions of editorial grandure.
Post
#99569
Topic
Thought on de-SE'ing the DVD
Time
You had me up to:

Originally posted by: Brimley
3. I liked what the SE did with the wampa, but it's hard to tell that it was actually the wampa that dragged Luke to the cave. I shot some footage of my dad in a wampa costume dragging my little brother through the snow, and the scale matches quite nicely. Master Replica makes some awesome miniature lightsabers, and it fit perfectly with my little brother’s snow suit.


Great read, man. I must ask though, how long did it take you to come up with all that, or was it just a spur of the moment thing?

Post
#98939
Topic
Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side (the TM edit) (Released)
Time
Trooperman, your edit is by far the most extensive yet, and if you can pull it all off, I'd definitely want a copy! But I do have a few questions:

Are you going the MagnoliaFan route with the alien subtitles? If so, since you're already dubbing Anakin, are you going to try to dub Jar-Jar and the Seperatists? Perhaps from other sources as opposed to backwards/foriegn language tracks (which I found to be the weakest aspect of MagnoliaFan's efforts)?

Will it still be "Attack of the Clones" or are you changing the title and opening scroll?

Are there any other signifigant changes you're making that you'd like to share with us at this time?

I'm just a fan edit junkie (in fact I hope to make my own edits someday), so your project really interests me. On that note, when thinking about my own possible edit, I faced a similar dilemma with the droid factory sequence. You can't just edit it all out because something has to get Anakin and Padme from the ship into custody, but you can't really use it without Artoo, and I wanted to just leave the droids on the ship, ending their part in the film with "If they needed our help they would have asked for it." But I really like the music and Anakin has some of his best action there. You seem to have solved all this quite well.