Darth Venal

Well that depends whether you always interpreted it as "pure fantasy" or not. I didn't, and it doesn't have to be. Are you really comparing Star Wars to magic? Sure, if you want it to be, I can see why bringing midichlorians into it would piss you off. Trust me, I don't think Lucas did it very well - at all - but if his intention was to make empirical something which had hitherto been undefined, then I can't say it bothers me.

"The Force is an energy field which surrounds all living things" isn't really that far from midichlorians being something genetic found in all living cells, is it. So that idea doesn't bother me, I just wish it had been handled a lot better.

TheBoost:

It's not technobabble becase knowledge or non-knowledge of the midichlorians has no bearing on the plot or character actions. Anakin never breaks into a lab and takes a syringe full of midichlorians to become more badass, and R2 never reverse the polarity of the midichlorians in order to save the day.

...and it readily becomes apparent that it's not biology or science [but] only serves a plot point so they could do a "force-test" on Anakin's blood.

RoccondilRinon:

...Isn't that exactly what technobabble is?

Boost, I think Rocco is right, you gave a great description of precisely what technobabble is, not the opposite. And I think The Phantom Menace states pretty darn emphatically that Anakin's midichlorian count is the highest they've ever seen, precisely the reason he doesn't need to break into a lab and give himself more.

And considering that they take a blood sample from Anakin, which is then analysed for midichlorian levels in the cells, and I think you also proved that it is biology or science (whatever that means).

TMBTM:

I personnaly only pay attention to what is shown in the movies, and colored cristals are not mention anywhere.

You're not the only one. If it's not in the movies, I think it's open to change. And anyway, seeing as these aren't exactly wide release projects we're doing, it's pretty inconsequential.

Actualy I never thought the midichlorians are said to BE the Force, they just help the people to be somehow conected to the Force. That's the way they are described in TPM.

The Force itself is not explained by the existence of midichlorians.

I didn't say they were the Force itself, but clearly there's a connection. And if they were, I wouldn't mind. It wouldn't spoil the metaphor of what the Force is, so again, for me it doesn't have to be a nebulous energy field.

RoccondilRinon:

As just as staunch an atheist, I think you're rather missing the point.

Well if you read my post, I did say I wouldn't mind an empirical explanation, not that it demanded one. I'm fine with it being a muysterious energy field, I enjoyed that for 22 years, and I'd be fine with a complete empirical explanation for the Force, too. I wasn't missing any point, I was saying I don't mind it being demystified the way that many do.

Skye1083:

Lord, it's so easy to become GL about all of this, trying to explain what doesn't need explaining

Uh, George Lucas never said anything about the light sabres, it was the fanboys who had to find the meaning of the colours. Lucas couldn't care less, far from explaining it. Yes, he ballsed up plenty of things - good old midichlorians to explain the Force, of course - but let's be balanced about it.

Actually, while I'm on midichlorians, I can't say that ever really bothered me so much either. As a staunch atheist, I would gladly accept a rational, "scientific" explanation of what the Force is. I'm not saying I liked the way it was done, about midichlorians in the blood etc, but something equally empirical is fine by me. It doesn't detract from the metaphor of what the Force is in any way, so I don't feel it must remain as nebulous as some "energy field".

Shanerjedi:

That is a really good point. Never really thought of it but it would help the dynamics of the scenes.

The main reason Lucas kept the same angle in AOTC though is because it was the same damn footage(with some new CG characters replacing older CG characters). You'd think with ILM at his disposal and an Avid he could've switched it up still.

Yeah, he used the plates and greened them all into it for Attack of the Clones, right? Same with the inside of the Naboo ship at the beginning. Lame.

I really do get irked by those Council Chamber scenes. I would try give Yaddle a line of dialogue, or Plo Koo or someone sitting on the other side. Just one line here and there to flip the scene to another freakin' camera point. Lame.

The reason they didn't think of making such a prominent set more versatile was because they were too busy in post adding fucking antennae to the dealer in the nightclub. Because that was obviously more important than, say, blocking out a scene with some fucking imagination.

Tuh.

Yeah but you're forgetting, one was the King of Men who lived and was taken from us, the other was the mythical son of God.

Yeah but you're forgetting, one is a graphic morality tale, and the other is a Jew-hating Catholic fantasy movie.

LOL that's fucking funny, man.

Skye1083:

Windu's purple saber does seem like a dumbing down because all it does is make it easier to pick him out in a fight. So either change his or add more purple so it doesn't seem like a marketing ploy. His character should be able remarkable for reasons other than his favorite color.

Yeah, we didn't need help picking him out - he's the black dude! - but there are other purple sabres in the background in the Geonosis arena, I'm certain. Personally, I wouldn't like to see more of them as I don't like how his looks. Never really cared for Luke's green one, either.

Would there be a way to give the other council member's more of a role? Right now in the vanilla version, it all seems to fall on Windu and Yoda. Perhaps have Anakin consult with someone other than Yoda about his dream? Spread the blame around a bit?

I think Ki Adi Mundi gets plenty of screentime. He was a great character too (poor old Silas Carson gets killed three time!). I'm not sure we need to dilute screentime any further for the others. One or two bits of dialogue from the others would have been nice, I guess.

One thing that really DID irk me is that we only ever saw that one side of the Jedi Council chamber through all three movies. Couldn't one of them have been sitting across the other side? That decision renders those scenes incredibly undynamic, always shot the same way. I was sick of seeing it by the second movie, never mind the third.

TheBoost:

but they needed a green lightsaber to show up in exterior fights against the sky in ROTJ

 

What, because a blue one wouldn't have shown up? We could see a blue one against bright white snow, and I don't recall anything in Jedi that was brighter.

Jim Caviezel was hot in that movie. Sorry, but that's about all I got out of it.

I make Richard Dawkins look agnostic.

Damn you, but you're right.

How about The Phantom Menace for Smarties? Star Trek for Epileptics?

Shanerjedi:

Maybe someone needs to just make a Star Wars for Dummies Edition and be done with it already.

Absolutely not!

Transformers for Smarties is the next fanedit I want to see.

Well casual viewers coped for 30 years with different coloured light sabres, so I'm not sure we need to go dumbing it down now. If you want to explain things as ostensibly irrelevant as laser colour, where would you stop?

Haha you're right, it's Prof!.

I wish I had some business, kinda at a loose end today.

You got it, doc.

TV's Frink:

A member got banned for a not-good reason, then got unbanned, and the mod who was responsible for the ban was asked or decided to step down.

What was the "not-good" reason? It all sounds very fanboy so far.

Although I did just read the ironic gem in the chatroom over there...

Blueyoda:

"Remember: people are stupid, paul. There empty brains make them say stupid stuff"

 

TMBTM:

Lol, you clearly missed some recent events at FE..org !

Oh really? What's going down? The word on the street?

I'm sure you can find a more suitable target easily.

No, fanedit.org will do. :-)

Well, in that case, let the butt kissing begin.

You know, for a second there, I thought that was Parker Stevenson.

Just in case anyone was wondering if Michael Bay really is THAT big a douche, then just look how cool he is... http://www.sceneunseenpodcast.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/bay-and-co1.jpg

Oh I don't try to undermine what everyone says at all, stop being melodramatic. Sure I make the odd sarcastic quip here and there, that's just me and I'm not the only one. But if I don't agree with someone's opinion, why not dispute it? This is a forum. Unless you'd rather have one of those forums where all you can do is kiss each other's butts, like fanedit.org?

Chill out, let's not get into a personal war. They lead only to the dark side. I promise to try and be less sarcastic, if that makes you feel any better. And no, that's not being sarcastic.  :-)

TheBoost:

I would stab a puppy to get my hands on that sandstorm scene.

Lovely.

Considering the sandstorm "scene" doesn't exist, you'll have to stab one hell of a lot of puppies.

Uh, no.

There Angel, it happened.

Pic or never happened indeed.

Shanerjedi:

I understood it when I was 9.

As I did when I was seven. I think we've truly crossed over the line of audiences filling in the blanks for themselves in mainstream cinema. And I'm afraid we'll never step back across that line.

I remember way back in 1992 with Alien 3 - pre-internet, mind - when people were whining about how the alien eggs at the beginning got onto the Sulaco.

Why don't we just throw a voiceover onto Star Wars to explain original-Blade Runner-style and be done with it...

                           LUKE

                      (pensive, rasping)

    I just knew the fall would have broken

    that armour. All we needed now was

    one of our boys to finish her off...

*rolls eyes*

Really? Damn, I remember he definitely offered you the use of his studio camera (don't ask me what it is, I'm a technotard when it comes to cameras). He surely would have offered his Steadicam, too, he usually does. I don't know what he offered you, but I remember that he did. Ah well. Maybe it was lost in your overflowing inbox! :-) It was months back. He might have put it in an email from me as we sometimes do, I really don't know.

My mate Andy certainly has some of the other stuff you listed, and he's a pretty easy-going guy when it comes to lending it, etc. He's got a little crane which has come in very handy over the years.