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SKot

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Join date
3-Apr-2005
Last activity
12-May-2025
Posts
935
Web Site
http://www.starwarsholidayspecial.com

Post History

Post
#241878
Topic
'THE INVADERS' - A Quinn Martin production (Released)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241878/action/topic#241878
Time
Originally posted by: CW
Great show, It aired early last year on channel 5 UK in the middle of the night without ads, someone must have captured them you would think? Yes, I imagine so. Hopefully the quality was decent as well.

There is someone who sells NTSC bootlegs of those captures on the invaders yahoo group, his prices are extortionate - don't fall for it.
versions do appear on the newsgroups now and again.
Yes - in fact, I'm on that group. That guy seems to have a very nice set (people who have purchased it seem to be happy with the quality), but at $15 a disc, 2 episodes per, I call foul. You'd spend a fortune buying the whole set... not to mention that making profits like that from bootlegs is despicable. I told the guy his prices were outrageous when I first contacted him about it.

What really needs to happen is that we need to get hold of that guy's set and torrent it on MySpleen, then let everybody know they can have it for free rather than pay a parasite. And an official release is not likely to happen anytime soon.

Incidentally, there has been some talk about a French DVD edition of the series through TF1 Video, originally supposed to come out this year (perhaps even this month). But it sounds like it may just be pushed back until next year, from what I read.

--SKot

Post
#241786
Topic
'THE INVADERS' - A Quinn Martin production (Released)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241786/action/topic#241786
Time

Surely there are at least a few of you who are fans of this iconic late 60s show, THE INVADERS.

A forerunner of sorts to the X-Files, it tells the story of a man who has discovered that THEY are here: aliens from another planet, working on THEIR plans to make the Earth THEIR world. He dedicates his life to fighting THEM, and trying to convince a disbelieving world that the nightmare has already begun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Invaders

Sadly, this show has been all but forgotten in recent times. It ran for 2 seasons, but only 12 episodes were ever released in the USA on videotape. The series is not available on DVD, and shows no signs of ever coming out in the near future. There was an attempt at continuing the series in 1995 with a special 4-hour miniseries, but it was abyssmally bad and had almost nothing in common with the original series. Even the miniseries has not been issued on DVD. The original series occasionally airs episodes in various countries, but at present I don’t think it’s running anywhere in the world.

There are various bootlegs of the series on DVD out there, in varying quality of course. Does anyone own any of these?

What possibilities for a preservation project might we have with this?

–SKot

Post
#241746
Topic
Burger Chef SW Poster TV Commercials
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241746/action/topic#241746
Time
I love the Burger Chef commercial for the Star Wars posters. Until a recent Burger King commercial, it was the only time I know of that you ever saw a Jawa appear on film outside of the movies. In fact, it was the only appearance of a *real* Tusken Raider outside the movies as well... one showed up in a 1997 Special Edition commercial from Taco Bell, but it was just someone wearing a lame Don Post mask.

Burger King ended up having the same posters. These were possibly the first Star Wars merchandise items I ever saw, on the wall at the neighbor girl's house. I don't think we had any Burger Chef restaurants in my area, so I'm sure they came from Burger King.

--SKot
Post
#241716
Topic
Is Dune a good movie?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241716/action/topic#241716
Time
Originally posted by: theredbaron
Yeah, but the question is, is Dune a good movie? and I'm flat-out just saying, "no, it's not". It doesn't stand on its own as a movie, and it doesn't distill the basic essence of what Dune is. All it gets down pat is some of the visuals (which isn't hard, what with sand and all that).
Hmm... I disagree with that, but only on the basis of the new extended DVD. The theatrical version was definitely a failure, being too chopped up and uncohesive to work. But the new extended version (with clean effects and widescreen throughout the whole film) is nearly perfect as a film, in my eyes. I think the basic essence of Dune is there (or at least very, very close to it)... AND it's a good film. I showed this version to my girlfriend who had never seen Dune before or read the book, and she also thought it was quite good.

In terms of what part of the essence of Dune is missing from the film, I would say it doesn't get across the deeper roots of the fanatical religious aspect of the Fremen the way the book does. And that is a big part of the book. But I think that it's something more suited to the written word than to a film. This had to be pared back for the movie. Perhaps it was pared back just a little too much.

I'm also giving a lot of leeway to the film for the imposed limitations of the time. As was mentioned earlier, if Dune was done today it would be a three film epic like LOTR was. Back then that just wasn't done, unless you were George Lucas. And even then it was only because he earned the right to do what he wanted.

What I wouldn't give to be able to see what would have been the result if David Lynch had been given unrestricted reign over Dune, with the ability to make it as long as it needed to be, and to cover as much of the book as he felt necessary.

--SKot
Post
#241559
Topic
Is Dune a good movie?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241559/action/topic#241559
Time
Originally posted by: theredbaron
I think the movies are terrible. There is no substitute for the book. The videogame's awesome too, but about the only thing it has in common with the book is the sand dunes, spice and sandworms.
I think the problem here is in thinking that there IS a substitute for the book. There isn't. The idea isn't to consider the two movies (Lynch's version and the miniseries) a substitute for the book, but more like a supplement to it. Paintings of the same subject material by two different artists, if you will. Each will interpret it differently, and each viewer will further interpret that in their own way as well.

And MeBeJedi is right... a big part of it is just looking at it. I prefer looking at Lynch's version, even if the miniseries was a more faithful interpretation of the original.

--SKot
Post
#241470
Topic
Is Dune a good movie?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/241470/action/topic#241470
Time
I love Lynch's film version of Dune - but particularly the extended cut that was recently released on DVD. I really liked the feel of the original theatrical version, but it always seemed rushed to me, like there were big chunks missing. And there were. Much of this was restored in the extended version. Dune could have easily been 6 hours long. With the extended version we get 3.

I should preface this by saying I saw the movie long before I read the book, and I am glad that I did it that way. When I did read the book, all the characters from the film inhabited the pages in my mind in the style and aesthetic vision of the Dune film. And I really like seeing the Dune world in that way. It was like visualizing one big long extended version of the film that I wish existed. There were some things that had to be left out, and some things that were changed. But I feel most of them were necessary for filmmaking at the time, and I actually like the movie's addition of using amplified vocal sounds as a weapon with 'weirding modules' - this was NOT in the book (standard combat was used instead), but I think it's great.

Also, Frank Herbert apparently liked Lynch's vision of Dune, and gave it his approval, saying that if you want to see what Dune really looks like then see this film. He also liked the extended cut much better than the edited version.

I'll go with what Frank Herbert said.

--SKot

P.S. - When I read the book, almost all of the characters appeared as their movie actor counterparts in my head. Incidentally, the one casting that I just couldn't picture as that character in the book was Patrick Stuart (pre-Star Trek TNG!) as Gurney Halleck. I thought he was great as Gurney, but somehow he just didn't match the way the character in the book looked. I had a different mental picture in my head for Gurney... something more like John Rhys-Davies portraying Gimli.
Post
#240485
Topic
2006 OT DVD: Poll: So What are You Going to Do?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/240485/action/topic#240485
Time
Originally posted by: Anchorhead
I can't stand to listen to him be interviewed. Like I've said before, he might as well be burping the alphabet when he speaks - it's that meaningless.
Now THAT creates an image in my head that makes me nearly fall out of my chair laughing!

Of course, Jar Jar would have to be there as accompaniment, maybe stepping in some poo while he's at it.

--SKot

Post
#240464
Topic
What movies do you consider canon?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/240464/action/topic#240464
Time
Originally posted by: Obi Jeewhyen
Originally posted by: SKot
SEMI-CANON ...
Star Wars - the Jabba & Han scene (maybe if it was Jabba's henchman instead of Jabba himself)

But how would this be any different from the Greedo scene? How is it different whether it's Jabba or a henchalien? The same exact information, with nothing new, as presented by Greedo in the Cantina. Hence why this scene is redundant. Hence why a good director would have left it on the cutting room floor, and not for the reason of effects technology limitations.
And that is why I put it in under 'Semi-canon'. It doesn't work as it is: it's redundant, it kills the pacing, it derails some of Jabba's dangerousness, but yet it's very genuinely Star Wars. Maybe this scene could have happened under different circumstances. Maybe Han did run into Jabba at some point in a similar way. But it just doesn't fit rest the story as it happened very well. And so that's why it's not included under the canon section... but I don't want to completely throw it out, because it feels so much like real Star Wars. Unlike most of the PT and SE changes.

Oh, and I definitely mean the version with Declan Mulholland and NO CGI Jabba in there. Post edited accordingly.

(Sorry, this scene is one of my peeviest pet peeves about the revisions to Star Wars. Rightful editing room rejects brought back to life just gets my goat, or starwars duck, or whatever animal makes a mad, growling sound)
Agreed... such things should generally be left as separate extras or deleted scenes. Although there are instances where films are shortened on release so they are more acceptable to a theater audience, but later can have lots of things added back in on an extended DVD release because the core fans can handle a 3-hour-plus movie. I'm thinking Lord of the Rings and Dune here. Dune in particular could easily have been over 4 hours long and still not have any pointless filler.

--SKot
Post
#240437
Topic
What movies do you consider canon?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/240437/action/topic#240437
Time
My personal list below.


ABSOLUTE CANON:

Star Wars, plus these scenes:
- Luke in the desert
- Luke & Biggs at Anchorhead
- Vader & Bast
- Luke & Biggs reunion

The Empire Strikes Back, plus these scenes:
- the whole extended Wampa sub-plot
- General Veers' death
- the extended training on Dagobah
- Luke rescued from the top of the Falcon


SEMI-CANON (meaning, I'd like certain parts to have been done differently):

Star Wars - the Jabba & Han scene with Declan Mulholland (maybe if he was Jabba's henchman instead of Jabba himself)

The Star Wars Holiday Special (with the Bast scene taken out and used in Star Wars instead)

Return Of The Jedi, plus these cut scenes:
- Luke putting his new lightsaber into Artoo
- the sandstorm

Ewoks: Caravan Of Courage
Ewoks: The Battle For Endor

Some of the Marvel comic book stories

--SKot
Post
#240222
Topic
What it was like to experience Star Wars for the first time in 1977.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/240222/action/topic#240222
Time
Originally posted by: rennervision
And then, the cantina scene begins.

Lucas may claim he hated this scene, but everyone in the audience was laughing as hard as they could, and loving every minute of it. This was the first time we were seeing aliens socializing together. (Of course, this scene would have zero effect today. Not only has every 8-year-old kid by now seen hundreds of "aliens" on TV, but the SE tries to cram all sorts of creatures down our throat when Mos Eisley is introduced - now before we even get to the cantina. How could Lucas not realize this diminishes the impact of the cantina when he authorized all of his "improved" changes?)
You know, it occurred to me while reading this that Lucas probably got the wrong idea when people started laughing during the cantina scene.

He probably thought people were laughing because they thought the scene was stupid and the creatures were hokey-looking. Yet the real reason people were laughing was more likely because they loved it, and it was the laughter of enjoyment--precisely because this was the first time they had seen aliens socializing in a bar together.

Unfortunately, George was too hard on himself over this scene. And so he finally ends up "improving" it by changing things digitally later. What a shame.

--SKot
Post
#240028
Topic
Selectable crawl on new DVD? Or just the old one?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/240028/action/topic#240028
Time
Originally posted by: Ozkeeper
Originally posted by: boris
LOL those aren't off the official discs. The very last places that would the DVD's more then 2 weeks ahead of time is rental stores.


No " Oops. I was wrong. " ?
No " Excuse me for doubting you" ?
That would go against rule #2:


BORIS RULES OF FORUM POSTING

1. Make technical-sounding claims based on anything but real facts.
2. Never admit you are wrong, even when proven so.


--SKot
Post
#237848
Topic
Am I Experiencing Faulty Memory Syndrome?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/237848/action/topic#237848
Time
Originally posted by: Master Skywalker
Yea, but it is possible they wanted to include new space shots but for some reason they where left out of the final '97 SE print. Except that as I understand it, they shot all that footage specifically on special IMAX film rather than regular film. So it was definitely done as an IMAX project. They may have thought about using the footage in the SE but decided against it, yes.

Its also possible he is referring to un-seen BOE footage in early ROTJ trailers that might have been re-used for the SE trailer.
BOE?

Btw. I would call 1996 mid-90's
I'll accept that answer as well.

--SKot
Post
#237844
Topic
O-OT Star Wars "Bonus Disc" menus (www.starwars.com)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/237844/action/topic#237844
Time
Originally posted by: Darth Cracker
Originally posted by: LeoneNutThe Scene selection screen has a special edition screenshot from when they enter Mos Eisley.


Aaargh! ~ i didn't notice that More Jedi Mind Tricks for the O-OT fanbase... no fair!
No, no, no, it's not from the Special Edition. I had a moment of confusion as well. But look closely... there are no extra buildings there, just the buildings that doubled for Toshi Station.

It's the original shot.

--SKot
Post
#237489
Topic
Am I Experiencing Faulty Memory Syndrome?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/237489/action/topic#237489
Time
Originally posted by: zombie84
There was no new space scenes added for the ROTJ SE. The redone Tantive IV opening of ANH was for an IMAX Special Effects documentary (someone just posted the clip here a few days ago) in the early 90's.
Just a minor correction here: it was actually done in the late 90s. The IMAX Special Effects presentation came out not long before the Special Editions, and in fact included material from the making of the Star Wars Special Edition. The actual release date was 1996.

--SKot

Post
#237486
Topic
Where did the huge influx of retards come from?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/237486/action/topic#237486
Time
BadAssKeith is generally a complete idiot, but once in a blue moon he has a spark of something interesting to say. Unfortunately, he doesn't know how to say it without foaming at the mouth and throwing his feces all over the place.

If and when he grows up, he actually could show some promise.

JediRandy on the other hand seems to have nothing to add. The only purpose he could serve at best is the voice of dissent, and at worst a pathetic troll. Since his dissention rarely contains anything constructive, I'm leaning towards the latter.

What I propose is that they are both locked out of all threads except one that contains only their posts. The rest of us could sit back with some popcorn and watch the resulting train wreck.

--SKot
Post
#237483
Topic
Could Lucas screw movies up anymore (Indy 4)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/237483/action/topic#237483
Time
He didn't actually say the McGuffin comes from any of the earlier films, even if it almost seems to imply it by saying it's 'connected'. Maybe it's too 'connected' to Spielberg and Lucas themselves, or to the public consciousness, or something else like that. He also mentions removing 'the offending parts' of it, which is interesting. People tend to get offended over religion the most, so maybe that's the biggest clue that it's another religious artifact or something to do with religion.

By the way, one of the most famous McGuffins was the actual Maltese Falcon. When it came down to it, the object itself wasn't the real point of the film, but it did serve as the thing that moved the story along. And that's the genius of it.

--SKot