We don't say "freaking" in Blighty (well, not yet at least). My son saw it on a bottle of pop today and told me: "Look, Dad. It's the 'f' word."
Yes. I think I'd rather my son grew up with a fictional hero like Luke Skywalker than the failure that is Anakin Skywalker - one reason at least for introducing Star Wars to kids via the OT.
It's hard to know when folk are being serious sometimes...
Which is one reason to be a bit wary of Disney buying up the rights to more Star Wars films. How many "limited editions" are we going to be conned into buying?
I'm not sure I am a purist. I certainly admire the purists, especially those who have taken so much time to produce the "definitive" version of the original original films. Skill, time and dedication - you have to take your hat off to that. I also admire the passion and the tenacity - much more preferable to che sera sera fans like myself who only get mildly worked up about changes like "Alert my star destroyer to prepare for my arrival".
Ultimately, I think if somebody wants something that's precious to them, and having it doesn't hurt anyone or break any laws, then they should have it. There's an awful lot of people who'd be happy to have those films in their original, unaltered state.
If so, we should really keep away from that bridge. I like grass as much as the next man...but there are still certain places where I won't go for it.
If he was flying how would he manage to do his thoughtful beard-stroking?
Lucas once said of the Star Wars films that they're essentially silent movies. Maybe he should have taken that to its logical conclusion with the prequels? And I couldn't agree more about the Padme's Ruminations track and the Order 66 scene. It's the sequence with Ki Adi Mundi which gets me all choked up. The editing of the montage and Williams's lachrymose (I looked that word up!) score is so powerful. Strong meat indeed from Lucas.
Well what you read was clearly wrong. And no, the low production value was not because of Fox, Mr Potty Mouth :)
I never said they messed up with continuity in the prequels. And thanks for the tips on how to speak to my son and your condescension towards him, catbus. What's the phrase? "Thanks for giving me a piece of your mind, considering how little you had to begin with."
Fox cut the budget? Well, that's a new one. It was Lucas's money wasn't it? If ROTJ was a bad film, don't blame Fox; they're the last people to carry the can.
Jackson made the same film three times over. What's so special about that?
And the lava in ROTS is real so are you saying that real lava isn't convincing? Apparently so.
I've not read about Hayden having acting lessons before ROTS - he had been an actor for some years prior to the film so I'm guessing he'd already had some formal training. I do know, though, that Hayden insisted on doing more takes in ROTS.
Everyone loves (or should love) a happy ending.
The Ewoks aren't so great at taking out those stormtroopers, though. For the first half of the battle they're pretty hopeless. Then they get their act together - and the help of a certain Wookie doesn't hurt either - and, as you say, the use their surroundings to their advantage.
I love it unashamedly. I still laugh at their antics and I still feel sad when that Ewok gets killed by the scout walker. Unlike some, though, I don't watch the forest battle and think "Oh, if only this was gritty like the battle on Hoth"; I enjoy it for what it is and have never felt that one battle scene is better or worse than the other.
I think Kershner, Lucas, Kasdan and Kurtz had a collective vision that, in thirty years' time, it would give people on internet forums something to talk about.
I know - talk about churlish behaviour, eh?!
Sorry, chief. I've been away doing gigs for the past few days - busiest part of the year for us singers. However, while I was away, I never stopped thinking about the forum!
Yes, I forgot about Threepio's "flying skills" in ROTS. How unfair that, just as he was getting the hang of it, that pesky Captain Antilles got his memory wiped.
I can't help but wonder if Lucas had Threepio's role diminished because Anthony Daniels had criticised the Ewoks in ROTJ. Or maybe Lucas was a good mate of Kenny Baker's and sided with him in their ongoing feud.
Or maybe I'm just overthinking things...
So this is what happens when I don't post on here for a few days. Some chancer comes along to steal the crown...
Wouldn't mind seeing a Star Wars with no Threepio. He might serve some purpose in episodes four-to-six but he's completely surplus in episodes one-to-three.
Artoo, on the other hand, is a true hero.
Well some films are so bad they're good...I can't think of any off the top of my head right now, though :)
Well, I really enjoy the film and have never had any big issues with it at all. I don't believe I'm lying to myself in that; it's a shame that you don't seem to be able to simply accept it and instead seem to feel the need to grandstand. It's only a difference of opinion; I'm not hurting anyone by liking the movie.
It was actually Richard Marquand who wanted to make the film more "fun". I believe he achieved that and yet, at the same time, there is serious drama in the scene between Luke, The Emperor and Darth Vader.
I don't think you and I are going to find agreement on this, though.
Bully for you.
Not at all - I can see how the absence of any hieroglyphics in my post might have given the wrong impression, though.
However, you might have unwittingly made it look as though it was an attack (although that's too strong a word, I think). Ergo, you said you put a wink at the end of your post to indicate humour and then in your next post you accused me straight up of looking like I have an attitude.
No harm done, anyway, adywan. All is cool as far as I'm concerned.
Lots of great directors have been accused of same. Wasn't Hitchcock supposed to be pretty poor with actors, too?
Some actors are more talented than others and need little direction other than "Do that again, only slower". Others clearly need everything spelling out to them. I think, though, that Lucas has been pretty lucky with his choices. Neeson, McGregor, McDiairmid...there's three stand-out talents there.
Well, perfect paranoia is perfect awareness apparently.
Will do, J (once I've seen the film of course!).
As for putting actors in a sterile environment well that's the point at which they have to act, isn't it? Christopher Lee said he had no problem with it and said he'd often acted opposite people who weren't really there, if you will.
Well, I can only refer you back to what I said before - I would question their level of maturity.
That link is telling me the video is unavailable. I did a Google search on Palpatine's Gollum moment and got nothing either.