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Davis

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Join date
24-Apr-2005
Last activity
18-Dec-2012
Posts
214

Post History

Post
#294512
Topic
I say forget the OOT on DVD, lets target HD-DVD/Blue Ray Now
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/294512/action/topic#294512
Time
I think the issue will be that HD-DVD is not a noticeable difference from DVD for most consumers (not home theatre buffs). You need a BIG widescreen TV to see a difference, and considering that many DVD's still look darned good on those displays, I don't think most people will like rebuying movies they already have in a digital format.

It's definitely not the jump that videotape to DVD was.
Post
#290684
Topic
Your first words of reaction after watching one of the PT movies for the first time.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/290684/action/topic#290684
Time
Originally posted by: zombie84
Originally posted by: Davis
Wow. All this time I thought Ep. II was complete crap, and it's actually a sophisticated masterpiece...

link



Classic bullshit fan wankery trying to convince the world that the prequels are deep. Aside from the preposterous reading-in of unintended meaning (ie that the visual reference to Triumph of the Will in ANH shows that the rebels are morally hollow and thus foreshadowing their defeat in ESB--WTF??) that characterises prequel fans, this guys seems to be unable to wrap his head around the fact that people understand the majority of the subtextual and intellectual construction of the prequels but still think they suck because the dialog is shit, the characters annoying and the drama mostly absent. His basic argument comes down to "the films are eloquently layered intellectually and therefore that makes them great"--and while Lucas' job at building themes, subplots and a complicated world in which the prequels are set is commendable, these successes are destroyed by the failure of the larger foundation to provide captivating characters and thus engaging films. It really amazes me that fans are so deluded. You know what I've noticed is that all the prequels fans appreciate the films on the intellectual basis that they are densely-layered (counting mythology and history references gets them off it seems) but of course the more important issue seems to have completely escaped them that these qualities don't mean shit because they are the icing on the cake, the cake being captivating characters and plot. Nobody gave a shit at what symbols or "symphonically mirrored themes" were in Star Wars because everyone was too wrapped up in the wonderful characters and touching drama to care--we found those qualities on repeat viewers and they enriched and already-rich story. Conversely, this same quality has led many prequel fans to think the OT is shallow because the intellectual references and convoluted symbolism of the PT suddenly gives way to *gasp* character and story. Eventually though everyone has to graduate from junior college and realise that Battlefield Earth and Troy have the same densely-layered thematic construction as the PT despite being totally lacking in interesting character and story portrayal as well.



I think that's it exactly. The PT has a lot of mythological references? That's nice. That doesn't excuse the fact that the movies are crap. I don't know. For me, they're just so distractingly bad they're not even entertaining.
Post
#287780
Topic
When it was just a movie....
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/287780/action/topic#287780
Time
Originally posted by: CO
Originally posted by:sunday256
Well I understand what he's saying, but I still am glad we have all 6 movies. When it was just Star Wars, it was great...but it got better as the years went on.



We do have all 6 movies? The last time I checked the only good quality DVD's were the SE & PT, so I would disagree with ya there that we should all be glad for 6 movies. If the PT were never made, the OOT would be the dominant version whenever released on DVD or HD-DVD because Lucas would have no reason to worry about connecting the trilogies and make them come as seamless as he hopes now. Plus if he never did the PT, I wouldn't have to watch doucebag Hayden staring at Luke at the end of ROTJ!

Sorry Anchorhead if this got off topic, but I take issue with anyone who loves the OOT and is glad the PT was made, cause the PT is reason we are all stuck with shit Laserdisk DVD's now!



No, even with no PT, Lucas would screw with the movies. He proved that by extensively altering THX-1138, an obscure, standalone film nobody cares much about. The original version of that isn't available either- he couldn't even resist doing that. There's no way he'd leave the SW trilogy alone.
Post
#283792
Topic
Upload 8 (RotS) Sentencing - April 12th
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/283792/action/topic#283792
Time
Originally posted by: TheCassidy
Yes...but!

Whether we morally agree with it or not, recording a film and uploading is still contravene to the laws of most countries.

What are they supposed to do? They have to prosecute, there's no choice.

I found Lucasfilm's stance arrogant and self-serving, to be sure, but I understand their anger. The argument that "they still made money, why do theu care" is irrelevant. Thousands of people watched that bootleg with no intention ever of seeing it theatrically. They're making an example out of this guy, and I kind of have to agree with it.

Now, if anything positive comes out of this, I hope that film studios realize that they need to re-evaluate standards and practices. Theatre attendance is down, and I'm convinced it's partially due to the widespread availability of pirated films. There's a whole underground economy at my work where there is someone charging $5 for DVD's of first run films.

Ultimately it hurts us all.



IMO, the decline in attendance has less to do with pirated movies than with the fact that Hollywood has alienated a huge # of movie goers who would rather watch old movies at home than go to the theater and pay to see uninspired crap.

Start making good movies again- I'd go to the movies a lot more often...
Post
#271394
Topic
Indiana Jones IV
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/271394/action/topic#271394
Time
They're doing this Indy movie in 2007. One big question I have about the FX is...

Are they going CGI or pyrotechnics/stop-motion? Personally, I would be really happy if no CGI was used whatsoever. Look at Last Crusade. 1989. The shots of the guy who "chose poorly" look just as fake as the Nazis' demise at the end of Raiders. But everyone loved it- it's part of the charm.

They have to keep that old-school, innocent, "charm" factor of older movies, IMHO.


Indy: I'm going to CONTINUE to do things the way I think they should be DONE! *smooch*
Post
#270526
Topic
Indiana Jones IV
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/270526/action/topic#270526
Time
Filmmaking is not what it was in the 70's/80's- everything has a different feel to it. Really quick cuts, really glossy feel, and mediocre music for the most part.

I think that unless they make a conscious effort to do it in the old style of the previous ones (and if John Williams can deliver the type of score that he used to be able to) it will be a flop.
Post
#270095
Topic
Indiana Jones IV
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/270095/action/topic#270095
Time
(http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1173216,00.html)


R.C. But you also have to decide on the format, right?

G.L. In terms of what?

R.C.Do you say, "Dammit, Steven, do it in digital," and he says, "Dammit, George, I?m doing it on film"?

G.L. Pretty much.

R.C.Who wins?

G.L. He?ll win. He?s the director. The great thing about working with Steven is that we don?t have agendas. We want to make the best movie possible, I want him to be happy. If he he wants to shoot it on film and cut it on a Movieola... Hey, he?s got a great editor. Michael Kahn can cut faster on a Movieola than anybody can cut on an Avid. And I don?t really care. But I do tell him, 'This is your chance to play with this and experiment with it and blame it all on me'—say, ?He made me do it.? And then you can go back to film if you want. But he has relented after all these years to maybe cutting it digitally. We?ll see what happens.
Post
#266657
Topic
To those who bought the Limited Edition Lord of the Rings DVDs...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/266657/action/topic#266657
Time
The only issue is that with these new seamlessly branched DVD's, if you're a purist, you're not actually getting the theatrical versions. There were some FX changes made for the extended editions that they didn't bother to change for the theatrical. For instance, in Fellowship there's a car in the background of one shot in the field. For the extended, they took it out, and now it's gone if you watch the theatrical version on the seamless branching DVD's.

And there's something similar on Two Towers, some landscape changes that were not replaced. I believe this is accurate....
Post
#266320
Topic
Seeing the Saga in order - a review by a first-time viewer....
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/266320/action/topic#266320
Time
My opinion?

There are hundreds of different ways that the PT could have been done, some of them not ruining most of the plot points, and most of them far superior to what we got.

Good movies could even have been made using Lucas' rotten PT storylines- if it was done right. If it was done in an entertaining way. But he not only botched it conceptually, he botched it COMPLETELY in the execution.

What would have made a much better PT, IMO, would have been to return to his original 70's Star Wars concept, which was "Errol Flynn in Outer Space". This is a huge oversight of the PT. If you watch the original "Star Wars", the influence here is so obvious it isn't funny. "I'm Luke Skywalker- I'm here to rescue you."

Develop new characters, new locales, smoky nightclubs, mad scientists... all of that "old movie" stuff that Lucas was drawing on back in the 70's and remaking for a new audience.

So I think that's a huge reason the PT was crap.
Post
#264236
Topic
Info Wanted: Is anyone doing a "Virtual" Lost Cut?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/264236/action/topic#264236
Time
Originally posted by: MTHaslett

It would take some research to figure out what dogfight material to use for the space battles. Is there any resource for seeing what was used?


Yeah, I can't remember where I've seen it but it's a splitscreen thing, with the Star Wars footage and the WWII footage. Maybe a special feature on one of the DVD's.