logo Sign In

Jumpman

User Group
Members
Join date
20-Sep-2006
Last activity
11-May-2007
Posts
150

Post History

Post
#246926
Topic
Lucasfilm to sell Physical Effects Unit
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246926/action/topic#246926
Time
ILM had to match as close as possible to Frank Oz's performance in Episodes V and VI. It's totally different from what Weta did with Gollum. Technically, ILM could've gone pass the performance of Oz if they wanted to but they deliberately didn't.

And Gollum interacting and blending into his environment better than Yoda is very subjective. There are plenty of shots in The Two Towers were Weta didn't even get remotely close with blending in Gollum to the environment.

As far as using stand-in's compared to using Andy, that has to do with design. Most of the designs of the aliens in the Prequels are far more alien than the design of Gollum. Technically, Jackson could've gotten an extremely skinny person, apply plenty of make-up, and it would've worked just as good as the CG version of Gollum. It's almost impossible to find someone that skinny to match what they did with Gollum but it is possible.

Post
#246618
Topic
The Merits of the Prequel Trilogy and the "Saga"
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246618/action/topic#246618
Time
CO,

The story doesn't have to be totally linear for the six films to work as one. At the end of the day, it's still about Anakin and Luke, father and son, with more emphasis on Anakin, despite the fact Luke is the main character of the Original Trilogy.

Of course, seeing the films backwards gives greater context to the Original Trilogy when you get to it, but it is greatly implied that the twins are now the focus (or are going to be the focus since all the plans at the end revolve around them) of the storyline once Episode III ends. As a matter fact, once Anakin turns to the Darkside in Episode III, it shifts totally to Obi-Wan, Yoda, and Bail Organa. Anakin is a bystander by then.

We are left with Yoda, Obi-Wan, the droids, and most specifically the twins.

And whether it was originally written that way or Lucas rethought the entire Saga, you can still watch it numerically and it makes for a very compelling story about the Skywalker family.

It may work a bit better in the way they were released but it works the other way as well.
Post
#246612
Topic
The Merits of the Prequel Trilogy and the "Saga"
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246612/action/topic#246612
Time
Scruffy,

I could refute everyone of your examples.

But, I'll just do Leia. It is implied that she's speaking of her birth mother all these years. But, she could also be talking about her adopted mother. And since she is a child of the Chosen One, the "images and feelings" she has in her memory could be of Padme....because of the Force.

Now, because you're an Original Trilogy fan, you'll dismiss my logic as a "stretch." But, if you call that a stretch, you'd have to call the logic of a lightsaber a stretch as well. Both are in the realm of possiblity within the Star Wars universe.

And because I'm in a good mood, I'll do the Jedi Force issue.

It's quite easy if you think about it. Qui-Gon was the first to discover the path and he only shared this peace of information with Yoda who learned and passed it to Obi-Wan. It is implied, in Episode II and confirmed at the end of the Episode III. No other Jedi know of this discovery, hence the many death corpses in the Prequels. Again, not out of the realm of possibility in the Star Wars logic universe...
Post
#246607
Topic
The Merits of the Prequel Trilogy and the "Saga"
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246607/action/topic#246607
Time
The story is not as linear...this is true. But, it doesn't have to be perfectly linear for the Saga to work.

Look, the end of Episode III made a serioius point of emphasis to focus on the twins and how they represent hope. This continues into the Original Trilogy. Luke Skywalker is the main character of the Original Trilogy but it does come full circle to Anakin at the end when he finally fulfills his destiny, which was his original purpose in the Prequels. So in the end, because of his son, the story of Anakin comes full circle.

And Episode V is all about Luke and Vader. The entire story is driven by Vader's obsession with finding Luke. Han and Leia are window dressing. If Episode V would've had a better plot to keep Han and Leia busy, then I would agree with your assessment. But, it doesn't. It's driven by one character; Vader.


Post
#246568
Topic
The Merits of the Prequel Trilogy and the "Saga"
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246568/action/topic#246568
Time
Well, a version of the midichlorians was at one point in either an early draft of Star Wars or in his early notes about Star Wars. It's not something he came up with in the mid-90's. He's had the idea for it or a version of it in his notes since the beginning.

As far as the Jedi jumping, why is this an issue? Luke did about the same thing at the beginning of Return of the Jedi during the Sail Barge sequence. Nobody said anything back then....or now.
Post
#246505
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246505/action/topic#246505
Time
To be honest, my signing up here has nothing to do with which version is better and what the fans prefer. What I want to understand is the history of the restoration of the Original Trilogy, what was used for the 2004 Boxset, and if he actually does have pristine prints of the Theatrical Versions.

If this place isn't the place to find out the ins and outs of those questions, then I'll leave. But, it just seemed to me that this is the place that would have the best info possible on understanding this entire situation and the history of it.

Post
#246500
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246500/action/topic#246500
Time
Mielr,

What I'm asking is what is the specific source of the 2004 Boxset? What masters did Lowry use to digital remaster the films?

As for the blue tint that seems to have everyone up in arms, I still don't think its as bad as everyone makes it seem. But, I will say I think the effect has more to do with time than anything else. A month per film seems like alot but clearly, it was a rushed release.

The elimination of the film grain, I personally feel, was Lucas' call, considering Episodes II and III were shot digitally. I ain't saying which is better but I like the way they look on DVD without the film grain. Just saying....
Post
#246495
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246495/action/topic#246495
Time
Go-Mer,

This is from the USA Today article, around the time the 2004 Boxset was about to be released:

"The high-definition video transfers of the first three Star Wars films (Episodes IV-VI: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi) that Lucasfilm delivered to Lowry, he says, "were a little rougher than we expected coming in the door. I thought, 'Oh, man.' "

It would seem that Lowry never got their hands on the actual prints, but high-def video masters straight from Lucasfilm, which were probably from either the Theatrical Versions or the Special Editions of '97. I'm guessing, and someone correct me if I'm wrong, that Lowry had high-def masters of the '97 Special Editions.

Now, if that's true, how come they were also in such bad shape?
Post
#246390
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246390/action/topic#246390
Time
Go-Mer,

Very true. I'm sure he didn't want to but he had to offer something to justify releasing them individually. Of course, Ward is probably the one who suggested finally putting out the Theatrical Versions...and I'd even go so far as to say Ward wanted them remastered for DVD. It's Lucas who put his foot down on that department. To him, the Special Editions are the main feature, period.

At the end of the day, Lucas should've stuck to his guns while he was in production of Episode III when he said he wanted to wait until after he was finished to deal with the Original Trilogy on DVD.
Post
#246381
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246381/action/topic#246381
Time
Go-Mer,

Not saying I disagree with you, but what happens if there is proof that he does own pristine prints? Would he be a liar then?

All I think he's doing (really) is protecting the product to which he feels is his vision of the Original Trilogy. I have nothing against that.

Either way, if he does have the pristine prints, he's still not going to spend money to remaster them for DVD. Not going to happen to the "workprints." And you can forget about HD dvd for a while. It took Star Wars 7 years to reach DVD. Expect the same with HD.
Post
#246366
Topic
First Impressions of the OOT ...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/246366/action/topic#246366
Time
New here, as I couldn't resist coming over here.

Go-Mer,

I agree with your assessments but from what I've read around the next since this who fiasco started, it does seem that Lucas does have pristine prints of the Theatrical Versions of the Original Trilogy. In a way, it would be ridiculous if he didn't have them.

But, it's really a simple of matter of Lucas doesn't want to release remastered versions of the Original Trilogy on DVD in their theatrical form. It has nothing to do with can't. To him, as you stated Go-Mer, the Special Editions are the remastered versions of the Original Trilogy. It just comes to Lucas' personal preference to regard the Special Editions as his vision of the films. That's all it is.