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Darth_Evil

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18-May-2006
Last activity
8-Mar-2008
Posts
658

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Post
#261800
Topic
The old Star Wars comics - general discussion thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261800/action/topic#261800
Time
Originally posted by: crazyrabbits
Originally posted by: JamesEightBitStar
[Umm... I thought the empire ended when Palpatine died in Return of the Jedi?]


He came back as a clone, and ended up getting killed.


Sorry to break topic for a moment, but I've read that in the expanded universe section of the official site, and that has got to be the biggest load of bullshit I've ever read. I mean, come on. How anti climactic can you get? Luke and Vader take the emperor down, everyone is happy, but they didn't actually win...c'mon, that's just bad storytelling At least its just EU.
Post
#261720
Topic
Eragon thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261720/action/topic#261720
Time
Here's my review of Eragon, as I promised earlier. Keep in mind it was written for a kids site. I know many of you don't really like the book, but its one that I really love, despite it being fairly unoriginal in plot structure. I think that fact is very easy to overlook while reading it, for me anyway, and just enjoy the book.
BTW I went to the movie Deja Vu tonight, and when it was over I looked in on a showing of Eragon. The theater was packed. I guess the less than enthusiastic reviews haven't stopped the masses.

Eragon
(**) (Two Stars out of four.)


Last Cristmas season, I learned that two books that I loved would be hitting theaters in 2006. The first being Anthony Horowitz’ Stormbreaker, the first in the Alex Rider series, in the summer. Then, at Christmas, Christopher Paolini’s Eragon would hit theaters. I was thrilled. As I researched the films and the casting, saw pictures, and eventually watched trailers, I was slowly slipping into the mind frame that Stormbreaker would be awful and Eragon would be excellent. I’d always through Jeremy Irons as Brom would be perfect casting, and he was cast in the role. Ed Speelers as Eragon also looked promising. The casting of Stormbreaker looked simply awful.
Then I saw Stormbreaker this summer, and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was. Was it anywhere near as good as the book? No. Not at all. But it was an entertaining action film, and could have been much worse. But still, I patiently anticipated Eragon, my hopes still very high.
How wrong I was.
The book of Eragon, though fairly unoriginal in many aspects, is an excellent book, and so is its sequel, Eldest (part 3 will hit shelves next year). I heartily recommend both books.
The story of Eragon is that a young farm boy, Eragon, finds a blue polished stone in the forest while hunting. The stone is actually an egg, and it hatches into a dragon. Eragon becomes the new dragon rider. Dragon riders were warriors that protected the land and its people until the evil rider Galbatorix betrayed them and took over the land as King. Now Eragon, with the help of storyteller/wise-man Brom, must liberate the land before Galbatorix crushes it with his mighty fist of evil.
I thought that any movie based on the book would naturally be very good. Well, this is an example of when good books become bad movies. The core problem of the film is the horrible, no good adaptation. The book is 500 pages, each one packed with story, but the film is little over 90 minutes. Without even seeing the film, you know there’s a problem.
Roughly 80 percent of the book was omitted from the film. Changing and editing a story for a movie is a good thing, or else the movie doesn’t work. But 80 percent goes too far, especially when what remains of the story is simplified and changed.
Each and every character is horrendously under-developed. We do not get to know these characters. We never figure out what drives them, nor what their personalities are like, except for the old wise-man Brom, portrayed by Jeremy Irons. (More on that later.) The plot is under-developed, and many of the removals of plot parts create plot holes big enough to drive trucks through, and also effectively prevent the filmmakers doing Eldest without changing the entire plot.
There were some good choices in the adaptation. For instance, in the book, Eragon is attacked many times by King Galbatorix’s forces, but we do not find out who is sending them until the end. In the movie, we see Galbatorix and his flunky, Durza, directing the armies, and it works very well. John Malkovich plays Galbatorix, and does a fairly good job in his under five minutes of on screen time.
The acting is awful on everyone else’s part, except Jeremy Irons, who I have nothing but praise for. His acting is not just good, it is excellent, and he steals the show, taking the film and running away with it. He’s the reason this movie didn’t get one star.
A worldwide casting search was done to find the right actor for Eragon. And what we get is unknown Ed Speelers, blundering through the movie with strange and often disturbing facial expressions, awkward if not just awful line delivery, and the screen presence of a gerbil. If this is what a worldwide casting search yields, then maybe they should look in a smaller vicinity.
Arya, the elf maiden who Eragon saves, is portrayed by Sienna Guillory, who has very few acting skills. She thinks she can act though, and it comes off as an arrogant, strange, and below average performance. The character of Murtagh, a fan favorite, is criminally underused, only put in to the movie to make fans happy. In reality, it probably would have been better to leave him out if pleasing fans was the aim. He is so underused it makes you want to cry, and I never really was able to form an opinion on the acting of the character.
And yet my biggest gripe with the film is the execution of the dragon Saphira. The CGI was fairly impressive, but for some reason, they fashioned the dragon to look like an overgrown and deformed eagle. Feathers on the wings of a dragon? Who cares if it’s far from what Paolini described her as. That’s just weird.
Saphira is voice by Rachel Weisz, recently seen in the film “The Fountain.” She probably worked less than a day on the voice over, and obviously she did not care about making a good performance at all. She plays Saphira as somewhat of a protective mother/whiny teenager. Saphira is a powerful, strong presence, not a weak voice mothering type.
Saphira is treated by the writers as a little side character, almost just tagging along for the adventure. In the book, Saphira is just as important as Eragon. Dragons and their riders were two equal sides of a whole, dragons being equally sophisticated and intelligent as the other races like men, dwarves, or elves. But in the movie, Saphira is practically Eragon’s tool, his slave, who does what he wishes whenever he wishes it.
Another gripe is the ungodly cheesy and stupid ending. Eragon and Arya have a vomit-educing little chat before he rides into the sunset. It was painful to watch.
But after this came a twenty second pre-credits scene which was excellent, and I won’t give it a way. It sets up the Eldest film, assuming they make it. However, if I were Paolini, I would not let them do it unless he had almost absolute control on the script and the casting. Who cares about series continuity? I’d recast the whole darn movie.
I would not recommend seeing this if you’ve read the book. You will hate it. If you haven’t read the book, you may enjoy it. The families in the audience did. But most will find it very cheesy and stupid. I’d recommend buying and reading the book, which will last longer and will be much more enjoyable for all ages. But if you do see the movie, don’t take kids under 7. There’s some violence, though most of it happens with sound effects, another gripe I have with the film.
The books are fairly graphic and very violent. The movie is rated PG. Without seeing it, that should tell you something about the movie. The action is weak because all the violence is implied rather then shown, except in rare cases.
So in short, the book is better by about a hundred fold. But if you are curious, go and see it. You’ll find some entertainment value, if not soley from Iron’s excellent performance. However, most will probably walk out halfway through. I know I felt like it.
Post
#261594
Topic
Eragon thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261594/action/topic#261594
Time
I just got back from the film, and yes, it sucked. Hard. (I'll post my review here tomorrow.) But please, do not take that as an indication of the quality of the novel. The book is, though fairly unoriginal, an excellent book, IMO. The movie omitts at least 80 percent of the novel, and the only person that does a good job acting is Jeromy Irons. (SPOILER ALERT) Sadly, Iron's Charecter, Brom, dies in the middle of the story, and from there the film falls apart. He was carrying the movie on his shoulder's, and the movie really starts sucking at that point. There is, from moment one of the movie, zero charecter development. It's sad, really. It was also only 100 minutes long. The book is 500 pages packed full of story.

I was hoping for this to be good. Irons did as I expected, giving an engaging and excellent preformence. Sadly, everything else fell far short of my expectations.

As I said earlier, I'll post my official review tomorrow. EDIT: I have the review done, but for certain legal issues, I'll have to wait until its posted on the site before posting it here. If it isn't posted on the site by my editor by tommorrow night, I'll go ahead and post it here.
Post
#261458
Topic
Eragon thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261458/action/topic#261458
Time
The book isn't the most original piece of literature ever, but it is a fun and compelling read and I can't wait for book 3. The film, IMHO, looks pretty good, though they did the dragon in the worst way possible. I'm seeing it Thrusday night at a press screening, and I'll post my review in this thread. I would disclose the link where my reviews are posted, but I don't want to give my real name out on a forum. A bit paronoid, I know, but you can never be sure.

Most of the casting on the movie is good, and I can't think of anyone better than Jeromy Irons to play Brom. Ed Speelers as Eragon....we'll have to see. The trailer doesn't make me all that hopeful. I've also heard the movie strays far from the book at some times, which is never a good thing. I'm hopeful, but hope doesn't make a great film, sadly. If it did, we'd all be singing the praises of the prequels.
Post
#261455
Topic
Darth Evil's 500th Post Celebration!
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261455/action/topic#261455
Time
Originally posted by: Stinky-Dinkins
If you PM Jay you actually get a decorative watch for reaching 500 posts, I shit you not. It's kind of an incentive to get members to participate. Once you hit 4,000 he takes the watch away, though.


Really? I could use a new watch. I've had this one for five years, and its getting a little worn.

But its been faithful with me for 500 posts, so I think I'll have to stick with this watch.
Post
#261410
Topic
What Special Edition changes (if any) did people like?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/261410/action/topic#261410
Time
None of the changes belonged. Its a seventies movie. Let it be a seventies movie. All those little quirks it had make it the epidemy of a classic. The cardboard audience in the end of SW is a perfect example. It isn't state of the art now, and looks corny if you judge it by today's standards, but it makes it feel like a true classic through and through.
Post
#260699
Topic
ANH screening with modelmaker Lorne Peterson...WHY ARE THEY SCREENING THE SE??
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/260699/action/topic#260699
Time
All this stuff about Lucas being more involved in the script then I gave him credit for is stuff that I really didn't know. All I have to go on is the film's credits (which is all I should have to have to go on.) But honestly, I think Lucas' biggest contribution to the script was the story, which we do know he came up with. Kasdan did write the script, or else his name wouldn't be in the credits. (So did Leigh Bracket) But my point in my post is that Lucas had no right not to give credit to the screenwriters in the documentary. Lots and lots of fans will take their Star Wars history they repeat from that documentary, and its wrong to not mention people that did lots of work on the film.
Post
#260338
Topic
King Kong: The Spence Edit 2.0 (Released)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/260338/action/topic#260338
Time
The thing about the extended cut I found interesting is while I loved the new scenes, and I think the film is better with them in, the theatrical version isn't any worse, per-say. The LOTR theatrical cuts are vastly inferior to the extended cuts, but the theatrical version of King Kong isn't neccesairaly a worse film. I think the extended is better and the new scenes add to the film, but its not like the theatrical is bad in comparison. I wish a few more of the Deleted Scenes would have been added, myself, but I think it is easy to say the extended is the definitive.

Spence, you're edit sounds good, though I think I have a different taste in movies than most people here. Personally, I would just leave the extended cut alone, because its pretty near perfect to me. I'd edit down the empire state building scene, but other then that, I love it the way it is. I can easily see how many people would want edits though, and yours sounds very good.
Post
#260310
Topic
The Gaffer Tape Thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/260310/action/topic#260310
Time
Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
Well, I remember I was scared as hell of them when I was 11, so that automatically loses some points with me. But you're, what, 14, 15, right? Face-to-face, man. Got to do it directly.

EDIT: And what's up with "Maybe"? Why would you put "maybe" on a card anyway? First of all, if you get back a maybe, what does that mean? And secondly, you can't give them any room to weasel out of it. Yes or no. The end. Well, if you have to use one of those cards. I don't condone it.


Face to face. Got ya.

I don't know what's with the maybe. I think I saw it in a movie....or I was stoned when I posted. Either way, it was incredibly stupid and un-cool.
Post
#260202
Topic
The Gaffer Tape Thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/260202/action/topic#260202
Time
Originally posted by: Gaffer Tape
Yay! No one seemed to catch the awkward double entendre of stuffing bunnies at the Playboy Mansion!


***slaps self for being unbelievably slow on the double entendre.****

See, usually I'm fast at catching these, as I have an unbelievably perverted mind. I guess I'm not as quick at it here on the internet.

And since Gaffer Tape is decreeing what's cool or not these days, I must ask him a question. Is it still cool to ask a girl out with one of those "Yes, No, Maybe," cards? Strike that. Was it ever cool?
Post
#260150
Topic
Favorite Nintendo Game
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/260150/action/topic#260150
Time
Oh man, this is an incredibly, incredibly tough one. I'll just have to list some of my all time favorites. I can't pick one.

Super Mario 64/SM64 DS
----I love this one. I've beat it tons of times and its still insanely entertaining.

Pokemon Red/Blue, PKMN Gold/Silver, PKMN Ruby/Sapphire, PKMN FireRed/Leaf Green
----Pokemon is one my all time favorite series. They have an insane amount of replay value and the old ones are still just as fun as the new ones.

Post
#259972
Topic
The Gaffer Tape Thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/259972/action/topic#259972
Time
Yeah, I probably should have read about the cons of oiling before I tried it...see, I oiled them, but instead of oil, I used extremely flammable gas. Before I stuffed them in my nose, the power went out. I lit a match so I could see, and accidentally dropped it on the poor bunnies. Does putting bunnie skeletons in your nose count?

I'm now on my way to the pet shop to buy more bunnies. I'm shaving them this time.