This is like a time machine to the past full of happy memories. ❤️
I’d also completely forgotten the Sourcebook was actually a part of the 10th anniversary for Star Wars. The Blackthorne comics too!
I don’t thing any of them call it “Return”, but a few do call it simply “Jedi”.
Also some of the younger kids of friends do refer to it as “the Ewok one”. Just wait until they learn about and watch the other two Ewok fims!
I love the discussions on here, the site forum in general, Very much with my views but offering cool new points, insights and takes.
Exactly! I think you’ll enjoy our pod if you get a chance to listen to it 😉
I’m halfway through and I love it! ❤️
Your Andor review looks interesting, if it is half as good as your ‘Prequels in the 80s’ podcast then you’ve got another new subscriber.
‘Thoughtful takes on Star Wars from the VHS generation.’ - I love that as a sideline. And your 80’s logo. Very much my thing.
I remember being taken out of TLJ, where the escape pods are slowly being obliterated one by on by the First Order. People on these escape pods are looking out of the windows and seeing other escape pods with their friends, family, fellow Rebels on board being slaughtered. And there is nothing from the people on board. No reaction or emotion on their faces at all or from their bodies at all. There was no direction, or this was a shot used fro another scene, but for such an emotional moment, the Rebels being wiped out, you’d like to think they would at least try and get the little details right. But no.
The Prequels: I can’t remember any scenes either like those from the OT. Likely due to the green screen or blue screen CGI backgrounds, and the focus of direction. Unless it had a thousand ships or vehicles whizzing around in the background (“so dense, so very dense”), there wasn’t much going on like in the OT.
The same here for me. It is something lacking in many films. Perhaps it is the framing, direction, or lack of immersion in modern films, in comparison to that OT era and before?
That’s just me guessing, though.
I’m going to have to go watch Empire again, appreciate it from Kershner’s crafted and patient piece of the Star Wars universe.
Dave Filoni’s new Star Wars movie will feature a mash-up of different sources and characters
Get ready for an Avengers-style meetup on the big screen.
https://ew.com/movies/star-wars-movie-dave-filoni-jon-favreau-interview - with a 3 minute video of both talking about the film
“We’re in the right area code,” Filoni says. “We are definitely in the right space. I think it’s going to be a clamoring of characters saying, ‘How do I get in this picture?’ And that’s what Jon and I have been figuring out.”
“I think for a long time, as I’ve learned to work in this galaxy, it’s a long play,” Filoni says. “And if things go right, you get to do more of your story. Things I think have broken in a good way for us, and people have enjoyed the characters that we’ve been making. So certain opportunities came up the further we went along.”
“When I was younger, we didn’t have movies, but there were comic books, there were novels, things that are encompassed in the [expanded universe] or Legends,” Favreau says. “Clearly, there are decisions that have to be made to fit it all together, but for us, I think one thing we’re in agreement about is that the characters — as special as they are — the story has to drive what characters are.”
“We joke that it’s like we’re playing with action figures, like, ‘What’s in the box? Let’s play with what’s in the box!’ And that’s what you do when you’re playing and you’re a kid.”
Uh. I have a bad feeling about this. More use and twisting of the EU, for which they’ll be happy to take the credit, without actually crediting the original creatives. And more “it’s like we’re playing with action figures”, something repeated when they explained what they were doing for seasons 2 and 3 of the Mandalorian.
I hope I’m wrong, I hope it is a hit. With a good story, emotional weight and payoffs, all done with quality and a little bit of magic. Something more akin to Manadalorian season 1, and not later Mandalorians or Book of Boba Fett. Maybe we’ll get more insight for this with the Ahsoka series.
I’m not much of a fan of Wookieepedia apart from using it merely for reference, but
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/DS-2_Death_Star_II_Mobile_Battle_Station#Construction
does do a half reasonable job at explaining the construction of it. Nearly as good as Channel72 has in here!
One thing I do very much like from their description, coupled with Channel72’s reasoning, is that:
"The construction of the Death Star II was conducted in four main stages. The primary stage focused on assembling the components necessary for construction of the reactor core as well as the two massive cylindrical polar columns used to distribute power around the station. With the main power systems in place, four reactor shafts were then fixed to the reactor. Next, a polar cap was fixed to the free end of each polar column, and subsidiary shafts were added to the columns and the four reactor shafts. The equatorial, or “waistband,” regions were then constructed, as they contained important docking facilities and the ion thrusters that rotated the station. The third stage prioritized construction of the superlaser. After the main weapon’s completion, construction efforts were then focused on the station’s outer shell and inner levels, including the Emperor’s tower, which was anchored to the station long before his arrival.
As was confirmed during development of the first Death Star, construction advanced most efficiently when the working surface allowed for sufficient space for the greatest possible number of self-replicating construction droids. This was Moff Jerjerrod’s justification for filling the inner structures in a piecemeal manner."
The 4 stages breakdown, and the piecemeal manner of filling in the inner structures later does lend an air of believability to how it could be constructed so quickly, with the reminder it was not anywhere near finished as we saw on screen. Along with the surprise that the super laser was in fact fully operational, and that this was part of Emperor’s plan to lure the growing rebellion out.
I haven’t listened to the podcast as yet, but do find the notion of a Prequel Trilogy made in the 1980’s fascinating. Even if done as a “cheat”; the same story of the Prequels as we got them from 1999-2005. Fewer effects, likely a Jar Jar suit or puppet as an extension of what could be achieved with the puppet Yoda, and actual sets for the actors to react to see and immerse themselves in.
A more believable, character based story, moving at a more brisk pace when the story actually demanded it instead of walking around green/blue screen sets seemingly not quite sure how to act or react, or even move. A lot more immersive than some of the badly dated shots and scenes from the actual Prequels.
Drama, I think they call it. With a lot less contradictions and discrepancies between the Original Trilogy too. And more people around Lucas who would reign him in, or simply say no, where he “may have gone too far in a few places”.
That would be my hope anyway.
I’d love to see “Force Light”, from Tom Veitch’s Tales Of The Jedi comic books seen on screen. Though done in a satisfying way with weight and reason for it. Not some cheap gimmick or throw away ability, like “Force Dash” from TPM!
That would be interesting to see.
“Force Meld” is something I think could be quite cool to be viewed onscreen. Connecting the minds of those around them to create a “network”, to read each other’s thoughts and give instructions accordingly for when in danger, in battle, or simply for covert communication.
It would probably have to come under as yet another ‘rare force ability’ than could only be used, or initiated, by a small number of force wielders.
It’s … Return of the Jedi? It mean on here ROTJ works for me but I can’t say that out loud. To be honest I sometimes just forget there’s another Jedi title even as someone that doesn’t mind that movie. Like I forget what the 3rd one was even called at all occasionally.
Return of the Jedi when talking out loud for me as well. ROTJ when written. Thinking about it, most of my friends do also say “Return of the Jedi” in conversation too.
I don’t thing any of them call it “Return”, but a few do call it simply “Jedi”.
I wish they kept that line in the film.
I always imagined Jenny got together with Fixer and Camie, and they had their own adventures that were almost but not quite remembered by the Galaxy at large. Some historians claim their adventures were recorded in “The Book of Jenny”, but prevailing consensus now believes these were apocryphal additions to the Journal of the Whills, known only through later accounts falsely attributed to Mace Windy and C.J. Thorpe. Other evidence may suggest these accounts were lost when the Journal of the Whills was recompiled by a later scribe known only as “Marcia L.” as attested in the margin notes.
I’d watch that as a limited run series, it actually seems like it could be fun, or something the Auralnauts should do!
100% this. 😃
Do younger fans take what he says in those audio commentaries at face value and believe him. I’m trying to be charitable, but how isn’t it a lie.
It is just that. More false claims direct from Lucas’ mouth. Or yet more unreliable narration from him, at best.
Nobody who had actually read the early scripts, or sources like the 2014 comic book, and The Secret History of Star Wars book, could watch that Moviefone video featuring Lucas’ lies and then claim “So Vader was always gonna be Luke’s father” or similar.
In general, some fans have unfortunately always refused to acknowledge the known evidence about early era of Star Wars, and likely find it easier to simply believe, or unquestioningly accept, whatever George or Lucasfilm says at face value, instead. And this was all well before the current “post-truth” world we now find ourselves in.
People repeat things like that so that their story is consistent, to deceive themselves and sound convincing, like someone in court. Then when other people repeat the same misinformation it seems more likely to be true as the story gets passed around. If you’ve heard it more than once it’s more likely to be correct, right? Same old human nature / memory function combo. Just look at how people talk when they argue over the Disney vs the George version of the saga, since he’s the one true creator.
100% this. Rinse and repeat until the misinformation becomes a comfortable “truth”.
I have a lot more respect for Spielberg openly admitting he “should not have messed with the archive of my own work” when talking about the change he made to his own films in the past. No lies, rewrites of history, or disproved excuses necessary:
‘Steven Spielberg blasts revising old films for modern audiences, reveals regret about ‘E.T.’’ - at the New York Post:
Steven Spielberg has slammed the revision of old films in a bid to make them more appealing to modern audiences.
The legendary director admitted that he regrets editing scenes, specifically one from his hit 1982 film “E.T.” that showed government agents armed with guns.
The scene ultimately didn’t make it into the 2002 re-release of the film and instead had the guns replaced with walkie talkies.
“That was a mistake. That was a mistake,” he said at the Time 100 Summit Tuesday, adding, “I never should have done that because ‘E.T.’ was a product of its era.”
“No film should be revised based on the lenses we now are, either voluntarily or being forced to peer through.”
“‘E.T.’ was a film that I was sensitive to the fact that the federal agents were approaching kids with firearms exposed and I thought I would change the guns into walkie talkies. Years went by and I changed my own views,” the Oscar-winning director added.
Spielberg echoed a similar sentiment in 2011, and this week double down and urged others not to repeat his mistakes.
“I should never have messed with the archive of my own work, and I don’t recommend anybody really do that,” he said.
“All our movies are a kind of measuring – a signpost of where we were when we made them, what the world was like, and what the world was receiving when we got those stories out there. So I really regret having that out there.”
The director was then asked if he believes the same thinking should be applied to other art forms, specifically films adapted from books such as Roald Dahl’s “Charlie & The Chocolate Factory” that had some offensive words taken out for the film’s script.
“Nobody should ever attempt to take the chocolate out of Willy Wonka! Ever! And they shouldn’t take the chocolate or the vanilla, or any other flavor out of anything that has been written,” he said in response.
“For me, it is sacrosanct. It’s our history, it’s our cultural heritage. I do not believe in censorship in that way.”
A Hollywood Masterclass with Steven Spielberg | 2023 TIME100 Summit: at the TIME YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCB6NTM9ST4&t=188s (at 3 minutes and 8 seconds into the 18 minute video)
Spielberg regrets simply even making changes to his ET film later on in life, despite both versions of the film being available in the same high quality format at the time. In contrast to George, who has chosen to actively suppress earlier cuts of his films, and instead go with four further releases featuring continued alterations spanning some 22 years. (1997 to 2019).
Time for a little democracy, to take a leaf out of his friend and and colleague Spielberg’s book, preserve and showcase these films as they originally were, and in the highest possible quality possible. And George can still have his 2919 Special Edition cut as his “official” or “canon” version, or whatever.
“Let go, George. Use the Force!”
I_AmNoJedi on reddit made a Mandalorian History Watch List: Clone Wars & Rebels episodes for anyone looking to brush up on their Mandalorian history:
I thought the above could be of use for anyone interested, or wanting a refresher on here too.
I_AmNoJedi on reddit made a Clone Wars Mandoverse Watch List: Abridged watch list focusing on story arcs that build to the finale & provide background for Mandoverse shows:
I thought the above could be of use for anyone interested, or wanting a refresher on here too.
I_AmNoJedi on reddit made a watch/read list for people to get up to speed for the Ahsoka series! Hope this is helpful:
I’d include the 2008 film too, but thought the above could be of use for anyone interested or wanting a refresher on here too.
Ah, thanks Emre. I saw that final season and felt that it was glossed over, almost like they didn’t want to dwell on it. I’m starting to watch Rebels from the start soon and was hoping for something in there. Maybe I’ll be pleasantly surprised?
There has to be “The Book of Jenny” somewhere out there in the EU?
Or a possibly new Disney+ series?! 😉
Thank you Emre, I never knew she was also in Space 1999.
My contribution to this thread:
“#StarWars #TheBlackSeries Force Ghosts 3-Pack, commemorating the 40th Anniversary of Star Wars: #ReturnOfTheJedi! Featuring classic design, premium deco, and soft goods! Pre-order exclusively on #HasbroPulse and #shopDisney on April 11th at 1pm ET. #StarWarsCelebration” - https://twitter.com/HasbroPulse/status/1644743371909394432
and an official Hasbro video talking about how “iconic” this set is: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlD1YyZ_rLE (3 minutes)
I’m no collector, but I think this is the first time Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker’s force ghost has been used for a Return Of The Jedi figure?
But why are they selling this as something clearly labelled as part of the 40th anniversary of Return Of The Jedi?
Hayden being inserted into the ROTJ film was for the 2004 Special Edition DVD release. So why try and pass this off as a 40th anniversary product?
Why no Sebastian Shaw figure, who actually played Anakin Skywalker in the film from this scene, 40 years ago?
Or why not have both figures, to have as an option, or for completions sake?
Instead, it is more lazy and inaccurate Special Edition revisionism.
I am really hoping Disney licenses the work out. I have little to no confidence that they will treat the star wars franchise properly. I don’t know if it is a “we don’t want to spend time/resources/money” on making decent releases, or if it simply laziness on their part. The fact is they DO have all the archive materials and resources to make the pent-ultimate release, and for whatever the reason may be, they are sitting on it. I really don’t buy into the “it’s George’s wishes to keep it buried” idea. He sold lock, stock and barrel. Disney is out to make money on that investment. But who really knows.
It seems that with Disney lately, the MO is quick turn-around, minimal effort for maximized profits. The 2019 Star Wars sets screams of said MO. I have no way to track how well the “skywalker saga” sets sold, but I wonder why anyone would buy something that offered little to no real value over what was previously available.
I mentioned this on another thread, but I personally feel that if disney were to release star wars (again), it would HAVE TO BE something of significance. The market has already been saturated for nearly twenty years with releases of sub-par DVDs, Blu Ray, and now UHDs. Disney must realize that they have beaten this horse to death already. They are at the bottom of the barrel. I can literally see no other thing they can do but to release the original unaltered trilogy, in a manner fitting of a properly scanned and mastered-to-perfection UHD/Blu Ray.
Somewhere at disney I hope someone is weighing this out. They must know of the 4k77, 4k83 and soon to be released 4k80 projects, and how they are highly prized by (perhaps a small number, who knows) fans of the series. It may be a small market, but let’s be honest… the market for the SE might not be a market anymore somewhere down the road.
The 50th anniversary, maybe? I hope so. Some sort of deal, at least.
Or if it came to it, just making the different versions of the Original Trilogy available in the “Vintage Star Wars” section of Disney+, along with the other older Star Wars content that is deemed no longer canon. At least it would be something.
I struggle to understand this from Jon Favreau recently:
Favreau On “Star Wars” Original Theatrical Cuts article at Dark Horizons on March 9.
“Do you think anybody but us, like, the people who grew up with it … would care? Because … what I figured out [is] that the younger people have a whole different perception of what Star Wars is.”
but then says his Mandalorian show:
“We were trying to say, ‘Hey, let’s do something that’s good for us — the people who have been around, watching these movies since they were 10 years old, but also, let’s make it for people who have never seen Star Wars."
but the people who watched these movies since they were 10 years old cannot still cannot watch those actual movies?
That makes no sense. Much like this season of The Mandalorian.
I hope someone at Criterion is trying to do a deal to release these unaltered theatrical cuts for anyone who wants them.
I’ve always wanted a Star Wars movie or show with a nonhuman protagonist, so I’d be down for a Bothan spies show.
I’d love to see that. And made by the people who are making Andor.
Like Maroon Biker Scout says above, lead characters and scenes from an Imperial POV too.
Interestingly, these constant hallway interruptions in Empire are not mentioned in the shooting script. So apparently Kershner or someone else simply improvised this, believing it contributed to the movie. It goes to show how much more immersive a movie can be when you have physical/practical sets, because it opens up all sorts of options for realistic interactions between the environment and characters.
Quoted for truth, Channel72! 😃
“Nice moves, old man - pretty impressive” is a pretty great line, along with Harrison’s delivery of it, that sets up these characters journey together.
I do wonder whatever happened to Jenny!
From last month about the Mark Hamill signed posters helping raise funds for Ukraine:
“$311, 046!!!” - https://twitter.com/MarkHamill/status/1639720548099063808
“The raffle of posters signed by @MarkHamill is over! We have raised over $311,046 towards RQ-35 Heidrun reconnaissance drones for our defenders. We’re grateful to our dear ambassador and everyone who joined in!” - https://twitter.com/U24_gov_ua/status/1639670157176889347
Well done Mark Hamill, and everyone who donated.
and finally from me on the Prequels:
Star Wars Prequels Recap Rap (Episodes 1-3)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgpj8JXBsds - a 6 minute video at The Wrap Zone YouTube Channel
Every Star Wars Movie Reviewed - Pt. 2 - The Prequels
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPvEJjNNPp4 - a 45 minute video at the Cosmonaut Variety Hour YouTube Channel
