Tack

From said book:

"Once regarded as mad human wreckage, with the increasing favor of the Emperor Vader has risen in power and influence to become a much-feared military commander. Grand Moff Tarkin was one of the few who recognized Vader's capabilities in spite of his bizarre appearance and eccentric conduct, and as Tarkin's right-hand man Vader attained a new level of respect among the upper echelons of the Imperial military."

Why the hell has no one treated that!?

Hal 9000 said:

Based on the Alan Dean Foster novel "Splinter of the Mind's Eye," and later remade as 1999's "Episode I: The Phantom Menace," Star Wars was the hit of the summer in 1977. While the original film has merit, it is a derivative work of the aforementioned novel, and done anew with much better results in the late nineties. 

To quote Lucas, the director of the first film, "Foster just hadn't written the book I would have, and since computer effects have advanced to the point that I could tell the story I wanted to all along, this new remake of Star Wars is more accurate to my imagination of the original novel than the original novel itself." 

While it isn't strictly necessary to have seen the original Star Trek series from the television of the 1960's, it certainly helps, as a lot of the character templates are the same, and the films (especially the 1999 remake) are replete with references to it. 

So get the novel first, if you ask me, THEN see a few key episodes of Star Trek (Trouble with Tribbles, Spock's Brain), and then watch The Phantom Menace. The original film is fun, but I'd wait until after the above to put it in its proper context for enjoyment.

 Who was it that said, "No posting from alternate timelines", Hal?

Amadeus (1984)

Damn. This was so much more incredible than I could have fathomed. There's really no way to truly describe what I like about it, actually. I just had a generally positive reaction to it. The acting was great, the music was obviously great, and I really admired its method of storytelling.

I admit I watched the Director's Cut, and nothing really seemed out of place especially or unmatched (except for that brief vignette with Constanze, which... I suppose it supported her reaction to him in the ending, but felt a bit odd)

I think old rumors from past Star Wars fandom are beginning to resurface just to f**k with people (mainly some treatments I remember from a past site that a few people are beginning to believe). That and people making fake footage to paste on the internet to simulate a leak.

So... George Lucas and Peter Bogdonavich are a lot closer than I previously thought, huh?

Interstella 5555

For the love of Daft Punk, see this movie sometime (it's posted free online)

I’ve always loved this film, but, to me, no version is truly definitive, especially seeing as there’s some cut material that still ended up on the floor. I’ve pondered this for a while, and I think I have an alright idea of it in mind.

The Layout (uses of footage unique to different versions will be specified):

-Replace the Colombia logo with a one making use of the “light and road” imagery from the trailer

-Add the deleted scene of Laughlin’s questions and conversation with LaCombe in the desert

-Keep scene of the fractions with Brad and Roy, but add in the shot of the Pinnochio toy from the original cut with Brad’s “do my problems for me”, and replace the audio of the establishing shot with ambient sound

-Record a new voice for the phone call to match Earl’s voice in the deleted scenes

-Keep scene of the power station from the theatrical cut

-Add scene of Roy at the Crystal Lake site after shot of Jillian searching, but cut down some of the dialogue with Earl as Roy is leaving, and add new shot of power cables cut

-After Roy curses out the driver, put in scene of him stopping him at the Dairy Queen

-Replace the shot of UFO’s shadow from the special edition with scene of Roy in the tunnel from the theatrical cut

-Add in the deleted music cue as the UFO’s pass at Crescendo Summit

-Rework audio so the line “Hey, that’s Ohio! That’s a quarter!” synchs up with the guys lips, thus moving it to the shot of the police instead of the shot of Roy

-After the UFO’s disappear into the sky, add in deleted scene of Air East 31 landing, finished a bit more properly (mainly the audio, and that opening stock footage shot), and with the reading of the novel cut out

-Add in the scene of Roy at the police station

-Keep the Cotopaxi scene from the special edition

-Keep the pillow gazing from the theatrical cut

-Add in scene of cookout with music cue added (likely the same strings section playing during the pillow scene)

-Keep the sequencing of the India scenes and exploration of the signal more or less like in the director’s cut

-Keep the press conference scene from the theatrical cut

-Edit the montage sequence as I suspect it originally was, with the deleted scene of Roy on the roof inserted before the deployment of the trucks, and the original music restored

-Keep extended dinner scene from theatrical cut

-Keep bathroom scene from director’s cut

-(really nitpicky, but) maybe re-do the audio in the cartoon segment so that the audio is the actual one from the original short, and not suffering whatever problems the audio in the film is

-Keep the full yard destroying scene from the theatrical cut

-Keep the full window gazing scene from theatrical cut, Budweiser commercial and all

-Keep full barricade scene from theatrical cut, Carl Weathers and all

-Add scene of helicopters pursuing Roy and Gillian, transitioning into the scene of the animals lying on the road

-Keep full escape scene from theatrical cut

-Keep the original credits music from the special edition

And proof that ONE script revision may have saved everything...

mrbenja0618 said:

Tack said:

mrbenja0618 said:

 So thrilled to see the rumor of your death was an exaggeration!

Fixed!

 

 Trying to figure out how you "fixed" it. There was nothing wrong with the way I said that.

 It was a little joke. The actual quote from Twain is "The report of my death was an exaggeration.", which is what I figured you were parodying.

mrbenja0618 said:

 So thrilled to see the rumor of your death was an exaggeration!

Fixed!

captainsolo said:

Tack said:

I'm going to take a minute to talk about one of my favorite films and my uncanny habit of finding REALLY good showings of it; Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

First, my personal history with the film. One night, I came across the last half of it on AMC, and was totally mesmerized by it. I eventually caught the whole thing, and fell almost hopelessly in love with it. 

A couple of years ago, I actually went to Devil's Tower itself. And, albeit on a 20 inch CRT monitor, I and fifteen others actually WATCHED the film itself at the foot of the mountain. It was one of my favorite film experiences ever.

Then, last night, I went to a showing at the Alama Drafthouse. Oh. My. God!

OK, first of all, we were shown the Duck Dodgers in the 24th1/2 Century cartoon right before. Awesome. Second, the print was... a print! And it was gorgeous, and epic, and had character. And, third... I ought to explain.

A couple months ago I went to a similar showing of Jaws, and there there was a guy who had brought a large collection of Jaws related memorabilia. It inspired me to do the same here, especially since I actually own a couple Starlog issues with Close Encounters-related stories and the Marvel comic. So, I brought them. This got me way farther than I expected. 

Apparently word got around the ushers, and eventually... I got to look at the print myself! Not to mention, I had a great conversation with the projectionist about the art of real film being in decline and the replacing of it by digital prints.

And, if you're wondering what I think of the film after all this... It's still one of my favorite films. 

 Sometimes, it all just somehow inexplicably comes together.

I'd probably end up living in the Drafthouse if I ever get the chance to go. ;)

It'd be nice to see the original CEot3K on the big screen. Like this: (from the annual German 70mm festival last year. I want to cry every time I see photos of each year's event.)

 Wow! Yeah, luckily their print was a 1999 strike of the director's cut, so not only were the colors and visual quality phenomenal, but it was a hybrid of my favorite scenes from the two previous versions. So, Cotopaxi and bathroom scene from special edition and the press conference and yard-destroying scene from the theatrical cut. It was the perfect combination.

DuracellEnergizer said:

Prelude to Axanar (2014)

It's funny how a short, low budget, documentary-styled, short fan-film can turn out to be a far better ST film that any of the officially-made, big budget, feature-length movies released since Star Trek VI.

Suffice it to say, I definately want to see the film this leads into.

9/10

 That got me back into Star Trek. No joke.

Make that triple... I've forgotten how this site works!!!!!

Accidental Double Post

RicOlie_2 said:

Tack said:

And, if you're wondering what I think of the film after all these years...

 You're not old enough to say that, yet. :P

 Pardon me... Over-romanticizing. 

I'm going to take a minute to talk about one of my favorite films and my uncanny habit of finding REALLY good showings of it; Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

First, my personal history with the film. One night, I came across the last half of it on AMC, and was totally mesmerized by it. I eventually caught the whole thing, and fell almost hopelessly in love with it. 

A couple of years ago, I actually went to Devil's Tower itself. And, albeit on a 20 inch CRT monitor, I and fifteen others actually WATCHED the film itself at the foot of the mountain. It was one of my favorite film experiences ever.

Then, last night, I went to a showing at the Alama Drafthouse. Oh. My. God!

OK, first of all, we were shown the Duck Dodgers in the 24th1/2 Century cartoon right before. Awesome. Second, the print was... a print! And it was gorgeous, and epic, and had character. And, third... I ought to explain.

A couple months ago I went to a similar showing of Jaws, and there there was a guy who had brought a large collection of Jaws related memorabilia. It inspired me to do the same here, especially since I actually own a couple Starlog issues with Close Encounters-related stories and the Marvel comic. So, I brought them. This got me way farther than I expected. 

Apparently word got around the ushers, and eventually... I got to look at the print myself! Not to mention, I had a great conversation with the projectionist about the art of real film being in decline and the replacing of it by digital prints.

And, if you're wondering what I think of the film after all this... It's still one of my favorite films. 

Does this look like it can fire horizontally to you?

Ryan McAvoy said:

Tack said:

TheBoost said:

DUCK SOUP

My five year old laughed HYSTERICALLY at Harpo. Good times.

Five Grouchos out of Five.

 I pretty much adore every single Marx Brothers film I've come across. They're geniuses.

 It's a shame it's probably mostly film buffs that watch the Marx Brothers these days, as kids love those movies if they get the chance to see them.

 I was actually probably about 11 when I discovered "A Night at the Opera", and I loved it, then again, I've only grown to appreciate Groucho in recent years

As a seven year old, I was willing to believe anything.

I look back on them and scoff now.

TheBoost said:

DUCK SOUP

My five year old laughed HYSTERICALLY at Harpo. Good times.

Five Grouchos out of Five.

 I pretty much adore every single Marx Brothers film I've come across. They're geniuses.

darklordoftech said:

Tack said:

I have a terrible feeling that a series of treatments I read a few years ago are going to become a reality...

What treatments did you read a few years ago?

 Something with R.O.U.S.es, Luke getting his true hand reattached, Luke and Vader being cloned, and a Black Hole machine.

They were very stupid if I remember them right.

I have a terrible feeling that a series of treatments I read a few years ago are going to become a reality...

DrCrowTStarwars said:

And every web critic out there keeps talking about how awful they are.  They are often mentioned in the same breath as Batman and Robin and the Transformers movies.  My close friends all like them but Darth Ender's post was the first time I had seen anything positive about them online and it seems most people cite them as proof that Peter Jackson is a no talent hack who got lucky with the Lord of the Rings films. So yeah I would say they are under rated.

 I actually like them a lot more when I meditate on them. I love the fact that they portray things like the White Council, foreshadowing things like Saruman already knowing about the Ring, and Gandalf going to Dol Guldur. They do have some silly or tiring (that barrel chase was way too long, if you ask me) things within them, but... They're not problems that don't exist within the original films. They might be a bit more prominent, but it's not like they only just started in these films. I am looking forward to Battle of the Five Armies quite a bit!

Well, due to a recent class I've taken, I took to watching a bunch of interpretations of the Arthurian legend... Oh boy...

King Arthur (2004)

OK, let's start... This film is historical bogus. And I wouldn't be bothered by this if the film didn't so openly claim to be historical. This is based on the Sarmatian Cavalry theory, which has almost no basis in fact except for the fact that there is a person out there who was named Artorius Castos, but all factual mentions of Arthur place him about 300 years after that man existed (Arthur also has the name Ambrosius Aurelius).

But, besides that, this film is just dull. Very dull. The only scene I truly remember is a wordless discussion between the knights, which is quite possibly the only scene in the film that doesn't suffer the terrible pacing or dialogue problems.

1 braid-bearded Saxon out of 5

Gawain and the Green Knight (1991)

Eh, it's alright. It represents the story rather well, but the whole flashback structure throws me off.

4 green girdles out of 5

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1978)

Ugh...

This book is unfilmable. It's an absolute masterpiece, but it's highly unsuitable to the process of dramatization. This only proves that.

This has neither the intelligence nor the writing prowess, nor even the story of the original. It sucks.

0 "paragraphs" out of 5

Excalibur (1981)

....

I liked it. A lot. I'm getting some David Lynch's Dune vibes from this... Which is fortunate since I enjoy David Lynch's Dune. 

It clearly represented and understood the Arthur mythos, and considering other films I've seen, that's about as much as I can ask.

The nature "new age" stuff can get kind of grating, but it's not in there that much, and it didn't detract from the true nature of the story. 

4.5 glittering swords out of 5