TheBoost

I know he's in his 90s, but Richard Donner would be great!

Made me laugh

Fang Zei said:

 

I don't think there's even a single Asian extra in the OT, a

Another way Joss Whedon drew inspiration from Star Wars for Firefly.

On the Latin side of things, I think George always intended Alderaan to be the Mexico of that Galaxy Far, Far Away. 

My wife's Mexican, and her grandma used to rock those Leia buns in the 1940s.

You know, if Republicans are really about state's rights, and really want to shed their image as a bunch of square...

the entire GOP should roll to Denver and blaze it up in a huge post-election pot-fest.

I'm deeply troubled by how racist America is.

If Romney had just been Mexican... sigh.

Warbler said:

got up this morning and found that the cable was out.  We have the phones, tv, internet via cable,  so when the cable goes down, they all go down.    It just came back about ten minutes go.  I consider myself extremely lucky that that is the worst problem I've had from Sandy.   

Good to hear bro.

Oldfan said:

Unfortunately I feel you're correct. Am I old? No. Am I old according to the demographic they aim the Clone Wars cgi show to? Yep. Like you said, Lucas has long abandoned the original fans in favor of the younger demographic, so they can sell more new toys and action figures. 

 

I seem to recall a movie that spun off tons of kid toys, costumes, cartoons, breakfast cereals, theme park rides, and comics and more toys. It had a cute beeping robot. a fun monkey man that was cool but totally superfluous to the plot in all ways, a charmingly chaste love triangle, only one up close death that was no only bloodless, but bodiless. That movie was called "Star Wars."

In "The Clone Wars" I've seen an insane mutilated cyborg living a tortured existence on a hell planet of endless burning garbage, the difficulties of being a regular soldier trying to survive, slave soldiers serving under racist commanders, including being ordered to murder their own friends, and a passionate forbidden marriage kept secret.

I'm not sure the demographics are as "old" or "young" as you simplify them.

I think Luke, now basically grown into Obi-Wan, coming out of his quiet Yoda-like retirement, to help a band of heroes on some sort of andventure is the perfect hook. 

Bingowings said:

I liked the way it could almost be used as justification for what Palpatine did if he could see them coming.

And the guy is a much more proven director than anyone else who has made a Star Wars film, even St Kersh.

I hated the idea that the bad guys were really 'justified' because they were so far-seeing. It also made the good guys a bunch of short sighted tools.

I loved both Serenity and Avengers, but to be fair Serenity was a pretty niche movie, and Avengers benefited from what has to be the single most elaborate build up and marketing plan in the history of film. 

ps. 

Oh yeah, I guess I'm back. Woop Woop!

I remain mostly optimistic. 

• Nothing Disney can do could be any worse than AOTC. 
• Disney loved releasing deluxe DVD/BRD. This makes me hopeful that a "Diamond Edition" of the OT with the OUT included is on the way 'before it goes back in the vault!' 
• The POTC were not to my personal liking, but should be looked at as Disney not always making films pandering to little kids (although mostly family friendly, the way Star Wars should be).
• It's not like they can somehow make a film worse than AOTC.
• I have no concern about the EU. It's been fun, sometimes it sucks, maybe Disney will take some of the good bits, maybe not, but it's of no truck to me. 
• It's been 25+ years since the real Star Wars (OT) ended. Now there's a strong line between the work I love, and lots and lots and lots of derivative works. I see it like my favorite novel, "Dracula." There's lots of Dracula stuff getting made, and I feel pleased if it turns out to be something I can enjoy, and if it isn't, maybe the next Dracula film will be enjoyable. 
• Worst case scenario, anything Disney makes is poor to mediocre. So are most movies. I'd rather watch a mediocre Star Wars movie than "Battleship."
  
  
• AOTC is insurpassably bad.  

HOLY SNAPS!

Dear God.

Contemplating slashing the hell out of this film to keep the atmospheric brilliantly shot thriller, and lose the raging insanity.

Cut- Lots of Julian Sands’s psychic powers.

Cut- Rats. Lots of Rats

Cuts- Phantom hallucinating people on giant rat trap.

Cuts- Lots (not all) of sex and opium.

Cuts- The comedic and creepy ratcatcher as much as possible.

NEW- I want to insert a shot, basically exactly like the Lon Chaney 1925 film that identifies the Phantom as “ERICK. Self taught musical genius and engineer. Criminally Insane. Escaped from Devil’s Island!” This will provide all the backstory the Phantom needs.

I imagine the new film will be about 75 min.

Bingowings said:

TheBoost said:

Just finished "!Drakula" a modern retelling of Dracula with text messages.

Clever. Short enough that the gimmick never gets old. Fun. Surprisingly accurate to the original.

Bingo! I highly reccomend it to you especially.

Who, where, how?

 Sorry. been out of touch.

!Drakula by Bekka Black. Almost impossible to google! The "!" should be upside down.  Saw it at my library. I guess it can also be bought as a cell phone "app" for you young people.

Picked up the The Hunger Games but put it down by page 8.

Seriously, they describe the girl as "olive skinned" and with "black hair."

Did they even SEE the movie!?!?!? I hate these racist books.

Bingowings said:

 

 

This guy is such a douche. As if believing in Bigfoot for a living isnt enough of a cry for attention.

Holy Crap! Finally a list of site members I'm included on!!

This is what it must feel like to be Prom King, President, and Intercontinental Champion all rolled into one!!!!

I have about 15 DVDs, each with one about 10 min short film on them (mostly from college film classes). I hope to combine these into one DVD.

What would be the easiest way to do that?

PSYCHO_DAYV said:

FEMALE MMA FIGHTER GINA CARANO

And she can kick my ass. I love her.

ferris209 said:

CP3S said:

I've never been with a woman THAT flat. There has always been something fun there to play with.

I haven't either, but I've seen several in my life that I looked at and felt sorry for.

I dated a girl that flat. Lovely girl... but nothing up there at all. Nothing. Took a little getting used to. I like boobs quite a but, but it was not really a turn off. You just focus on all the other wonderful lady parts.

Just finished "!Drakula" a modern retelling of Dracula with text messages.

Clever. Short enough that the gimmick never gets old. Fun. Surprisingly accurate to the original.

Bingo! I highly reccomend it to you especially.

Not long ago I was weaing my TARDIS t-shirt, and some dude made a comment to me. I don't recall what it was. I didn't get it, and he said I must not be a "real Doctor Who fan."

It's possible it was a refrence to classic episodes I never saw, or to the newer Matt Smith episodes I don't watch. I just don't know. My first instinct was to rattle off my love for Sylvester McCoy, that I own an bootleg of the TV-movie, or that I have a framed poster of the Peter Cushing movie in my house. But after a moment of reflection I chose to respond with a smile and say "Well I guess you can go fuck yourself."

There are cases where how devoted you are to something makes a difference: doctors with medical journals, or high-wire riggers and the latest high-wire-rigging safety manuals are two examples. But with something like sci-fi shows, Dungeons and Dragons editions, or prog-rock, the level of slavish devotion one shows does not carry any moral weight.

• You don't know anything about jazz if you listen to it on CD.
• You're not a real comics geek. Your entire collection is in color.
• You never saw WrestleMania 5!? How can you call yourself a wrestling fan!
• You probably only like Insane Clown Posse's later albums. The commercial ones.
• There's no way you understand The Ramones like I do.
• You've never written an essay about why you hate the prequals??? You're just a Star Wars poseur!
• Red wine with pork? You should kill yourself.

I feel I've been encountering a lot of this nonsense lately. (Not necessarily on these boards). There's this "geek girl" meme thing, and the levels of VENOM people have in the "Phantom of the Opera" fandom for other fans is mind-blowing. It's just so damn annoying and more than a little ridiculous.

I understand the feeling. I remember in the late 90s when pro wrestling was super hot, and suddenly everyone had an "Austin 3:16" t-shirt, and I still remembered the years in middle school of being made fun of as a wrestling fan. Part of me still resents people who like the LOTR films because I had to slog through that endless prose as a lad to enjoy those same stories. But if I ever think this tenure makes me somehow better at liking something than someone else, please slap me.

Here's my simple rule. Anytime one feels like expressing that their enjoyment of something is somehow better or more authentic than someone else's, try replacing the object of interest with "Twilight fan-fic" and see if it still sounds worth saying.

Stop the presses.

I recently discovered the only woman alive who should play Mina.

And basically any other female role.

And my next wife if possible.

The divine Sierra Boggess

I've only seen her in the Phantom of the Opera performance on DVD... but from now on anything she's NOT in will get a bad review from me.

Baronlando said:

TheBoost said:

 Well if you want a sci-fi epic that uses models, animatronic masks, puppetry, and enormous moving sets in addition to CGI, let me reccomend the PT.

Yes we know, it's just a little shorthand. I mean, I guess when someone says there's too much CG and it looks cartoony, you can be Matlock about it and say "a-ha! There are miniatures in that shot! And that floor and doorway is real!" If you want.

It's a pretty crummy piece of shorthand to say "too much horrible CG! Where are the techniques I love!?" in refrence to a film series with a huge ammount of model work, puppets, masks, etc.

captainsolo said:

I was referring to the rise of commercialism in film, which did occur and firmly root itself in the 80's. There were numerous handovers/buyouts/collapses in the late 60's up through and around the mid 70's primarily due to the replacing of the old guard. Of course starting with the massive unheard of box office returns of Jaws, the climate began to change dramatically. By the end of the 80's we already were in the days of independent producers who did nothing but cobble together the most exploitative product for maximized profit. Not that this is a bad thing, but there has to be at least some moderation.

I've never felt that the 80's had as many classic titles as other decades, but maybe it's just me. But the films produced then are unbelievably superior to the amount of schlock we endured for the ten years of 00's.

 I think you're idealizing the distant past a bit.

"Cleopatra" was just an epic spectacle cash-grab by the studios, mixing top stars, huge sets, and a mediocre script.

"Casablanca" was just one more movie being churned out in a workman-like fashion off the backlots. Despite it's greatness, it's original pitch was "It's like the movie Algiers!'

"The Godfather" was based on a best-seller that had been written expressly to be the most commercial crime novel Puzo could write, then handed to a director because his last name was Itallian.

And as for schlock, you do realize that the 70s gave us, "Blackenstein" "Dracula and the Seven Golden Vampire" "Death Race 2000" "Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" "Night of the Lepus" "Xanadu" fifteen "Airport" movies, "Zardoz" "I Spit On Your Grave" "Caligula" and  "Shaft goes to Africa"