jack Spencer Jr

User Group: Members
Join date: 11-May-2006
Last activity: 5-Aug-2006
Posts: 142

Post History

Post: #221528
Topic: I hate M. Night Ramalamadingdong!
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221528/action/topic#221528
Time: 24-Jun-2006 9:24 PM

Originally posted by: Nanner Split
Oh, I know PLENTY of people who trash Uwe Boll, myself included. What's that "loophole in Germany's laws" you mentioned?

It's now been closed IIRC, but it allowed people who made movies in Germany to have a big tax write-off or some such and thus make more money on the write off than they lost on the flop. So it's the true-life Producers or something (I may have some of the details wrong as i'm not a German tax lawyer) . Interestingly, Boll was one of the few who was actually using it in the way that was intented. The rest of the time, an American company would make a movie and then "sell" it to a German company and then take advatage of the tax thing. It's been a popular thing to say to explain how Boll continues to find funding with so many flops under his belt.

Personally, I didn't think Alone in the Dark was that bad, but I did watch Doogal right before it, which was so bad, my soul was being sucked out of my forehead.

Post: #221524
Topic: Why the PT fans love the PT so much, not as diehard as we think
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221524/action/topic#221524
Time: 24-Jun-2006 8:51 PM

Originally posted by: CO
And that is how I feel about the prequels, I can enjoy the movies if I dont' look too deep into them, if I don't invest myself into the characters, and if I take them for what they are, "Not great movies, but they still are in that galaxy, far, far, away, so I can enjoy it."

See, that's precisely why I don't like the PT. Because I've come to regard them as not Star Wars, I don't care what it says on the DVD case (in the store, mind you. I don't own them) Hence why I frequent a OT forum. Heh.

Post: #221510
Topic: Why the PT fans love the PT so much, not as diehard as we think
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221510/action/topic#221510
Time: 24-Jun-2006 7:53 PM

Originally posted by: Invader Jenny
Case in point - the eventual distruction of the Jedi and the balance of the force. People usually take it as 10 jedi = 10 sith, balance. At the time of TPM you have the council talking about Anakin bring balance to the force as if it was needed. Do they really want 10,000s of Siths to match up the Jedi Knights? I doubt it. They say that the Sith were gone and were pretty please with themselves. Why were they so enamored with this balance notion?

And what was the actual balance anyway? The Jedi in the movie believed it to be a numarical thing. All the jedi/0 Sith means balance to them. Okay, whatever.

The balance to the Force is a brilliant concept that was less than brilliantly executed in the PT. It is not equal numbers of Jedi to Sith. That is a common misconception. See, the Sith and their use of the Force create imbalance, so the Jedi kill their Sithy asses and create balance. Or so it seems to be.

Personally, I think this whole idea should have been taken deeper and would be prime material for a sequel trilogy, but lucas won't do it.

Post: #221497
Topic: George ruined the drama in his own stories.
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221497/action/topic#221497
Time: 24-Jun-2006 5:57 PM

I happen to agree. Lucas took the easy way out with the prequels. He basically made up a list of events that he figured people wanted to see: (when Obi-wan met Anakin, when Anakin met Luke's mom, when Anakin turned to the dark side, when Luke and Leia were born, etc) and made a vulgar checklist so that he could give people what they wanted, or he thought they wanted, and then just filled in the blanks. However, this made the prequels function piss-poorly as the first three installments of a six-part series. He should have looked at it with a more artistic eye for what did the prequels need to show and what they definately needed to NOT show. They should never have shown Anakin becoming Darth Vader. Vader's identity should have been hidden somehow. In fact, it should have looked like what Obi Wan said in ANH, that Darth Vader was a pupil of Obi Wan's who turned evil and betrayed and murdered Anakin. Now how to do that when they are both the same person is difficult, but not impossible.

Post: #221496
Topic: Why the PT fans love the PT so much, not as diehard as we think
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221496/action/topic#221496
Time: 24-Jun-2006 5:29 PM

Originally posted by: ShiftyEyes
I've spent very little time around TFN, so I don't know how far some of these prequel lovers go, but I personally don't have much disdain for the films. Hell, I'd rather defend them than deride them. No matter how "bad" things get in the PT, they're certainly not as bad as the exaggerated awfulness that PT bashers insist on. Heck, the way I see it, all the bashing makes me much more tolerant of the PT. But that's my point of view.

Now, this confuses me. Because other people don't like the PT, you've decided to like/defend them? So if we all stopped talking about what was wrong with the PT, you could dislike them again?

I'm sorry, but that's just weird. When I say I dislike the PT and enumerate various reasons why I dislike it, this is because I dislike it. Nothing there but me, the movie and my reaction to it. What's described here sort of negates one's own personal reaction that is based on other people's reaction. I am reminded of my old roommate who hated Titanic even though he never saw it, based solely on the hype surrounding it. It it wasn't for the hype, he would not have hated Titanic. Possibly would have liked it.

I'm sorry, but I just don't understand that. I could understand actually liking them (I don't see how anyone could, but I'll allow for the possibility for someone to have genuine appreciation for the movies). I could understand someone liking them although recognizing them as flawed and taking them as such. But to see them as flawed or to otherwise be disappointed in the films but defending them as if you genuinely liked them just because others express greater dislike for them, I don't get that.

But then, it may be because it's Star Wars. Star Wars has had a profound effect on people since 1977. Something everyone, including Lucas, underestimates. maybe a strong reation is all Star Wars movies can get, either for or against.

Although, I do dislike the PT defenders tendancies towards excuse-making. Let's put a list together, shall we?

[list][*]There was too much expectaion for the PT to possibly live up to it.
[*]Star Wars was never meant to be artistic cinema. It's just a popcorn movie
[/list]

That's all I can think of off the top of my head, but these are just excuses, not counter arguements. They basically say don't expect much from the prequels because they are just going to disappoint you if you do.

To be frank, I didn't expect much and was disappointed anyway. I think it's because it followed the obvious path. In another thread i tried to speculate a less obvious path, but there was little interest in such a thing.

Post: #221031
Topic: Superman Movie
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/221031/action/topic#221031
Time: 22-Jun-2006 10:33 PM

Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
I seem to remember in some old comic the reason nobody put two and two together and made the obvious connection between Clark and Superman was that he was doing some kind of mental projection trick to make them see a nerd instead of a buff guy in glasses, thought it might be something like that.

I have that issue. It was low-level hypnotism thanks to his glasses or something like that.

Post: #220977
Topic: Why the PT fans love the PT so much, not as diehard as we think
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220977/action/topic#220977
Time: 22-Jun-2006 8:05 PM

You know, one of these days I should write up a breakdown of what I disliked and found weak in the PT and see just why the PT fans just don't see what I do. Or, I would but that would mean watching those movies again, so to heck with that. That's what bugs me. How can they like it so much when I find so many reasons to hate it. It's not creepy or nothing, it's perplexing and has skirted close to madness.

Post: #220939
Topic: Video and Article: Rep Won't Let Customer Cancel AOL Account
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220939/action/topic#220939
Time: 22-Jun-2006 6:01 PM

Originally posted by: Bossk
Yes, cell coverage exists in New Hampshire. I've got a friend who lives there now who has a very operable cellphone.

Oh, beg your pardon, a quick Google shows I was mistaken, it was Vermont, not New Hampshire. They had very strict laws regarding the construction of cell towers, although it appears to be loosening up now. But when I was a rep for T Mobile about, jeez 3 years ago, if someone was moving to VT, we would have to cancel their account because there was nothing to be done about it.

Post: #220714
Topic: Video and Article: Rep Won't Let Customer Cancel AOL Account
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220714/action/topic#220714
Time: 21-Jun-2006 11:42 PM

I have done this kind of work, and it is the worst job imaginable. At least the guy who shovel manure for a living can think of all the pretty flowers the cow patties will help grow. But when you're a customer service rep, the customers hate you and the company hates you, and you can't make any kind of difference... ever.

It kind of sucks that the rep lost his job over this because more than likely he was just doing what the company wanted him to do. It's stupid, really.

And if you want out of your cell phone contract in the US, just tell them you're moving to New Hampshire. You'll get out of your contract w/o paying cancelation fees, in most cases.

Post: #220679
Topic: What to do to improve the picture?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220679/action/topic#220679
Time: 21-Jun-2006 8:26 PM

I've tried the tape in another player and you can just see it there at the top of the screen. So it appears to be the tape.

Post: #220396
Topic: What to do to improve the picture?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220396/action/topic#220396
Time: 20-Jun-2006 9:01 PM

I have the Dragon Strike VHS tape transfered to DVD, but the picture has an odd problem at the very top, for some reson the picture gets wavy. This is not noticable on a TV as that part of the CRT is inside the TV casing, but on a computer, it's visible. Is there a way to fix this, aside from cropping the darn thing?

:: Moved to technical discussion forum.

- M

Post: #220383
Topic: Sets
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220383/action/topic#220383
Time: 20-Jun-2006 8:42 PM

I voted for real sets, I think you should remove the CG from CG enhancements, since how the enhancements get there doesn't matter as long as they work.

Real sets first of all, look better for the camera... most of the time, but also help the actor visualize where they are and what's there. It's difficult acting that a ping pong ball on a stick is a giant spider. Anything that helps the acting process is AOK in my book.

Post: #220360
Topic: "Original Vision"
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220360/action/topic#220360
Time: 20-Jun-2006 7:43 PM

Ha Ha. you're a card.Know what card? That How to Play Poker card they put in the deck that you have to throw away. Yeah, man. Go you. Go.... teach someone how to play poker.

Post: #220277
Topic: **It has happened, Original films on DVD!!**
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220277/action/topic#220277
Time: 20-Jun-2006 4:36 PM

Originally posted by: Invader Jenny
DVDs you say?

Yes. DVDs

http://media.urbandictionary.com/image/page/i-44629.jpg

Post: #220082
Topic: What happened to Micheal Jackson.
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220082/action/topic#220082
Time: 19-Jun-2006 11:21 PM

he was more than a little scary back then.

Post: #220065
Topic: I actaully PREFER seeing the black bars, even on my widescreen TV.
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/220065/action/topic#220065
Time: 19-Jun-2006 9:44 PM

Originally posted by: marioxb
But I'm not talking about 4x3 movies (sorta). I'm talking about letterboxed (or animorphic) movies. I just like seeing the bars there on the top and bottom (not on the sides). Seeing the bars just makes me happy and reminds me that I'm watching in widescreen.

When you eventually get a widescreen television, which you will once they become standard and your old set dies, you'll change your tune on that.

Post: #219991
Topic: "Original Vision"
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/219991/action/topic#219991
Time: 19-Jun-2006 5:26 PM

Actually, we do have proof positive that the more juvenile tone would have sank the first Star Wars. It's Lucas's second attempt at a multi-part epic story: Willow. Willow was meant to be a prelude to another trilogy a la Hoobbit/Lord of the Rings. However, Willow failed to perform well enough at the box office to warrant the sequels, which were eventually made into novels. I've spent a good deal of time wondering why I don't like Willow. The reason is that the lame attempts at humor just didn't work for me. Sure there were some good attempts at humor, but there was also bad one. I think the movie lost me when Val Kilmer was rolling down a snow covered hill and got rolled up into a giant snowball. Why a stupid cartoon gag was used in an action/adventure/fantasy, I have no idea. But Willow is what Star Wars would have been if George had his way with it. And in spite of the 'see cows' story above, I think that is what he was after. There have ben enough behind the scenes rumors to make me believe that the tone of Willow or the prequels/SE was what Lucas wanted.

Post: #219806
Topic: "Original Vision"
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/219806/action/topic#219806
Time: 18-Jun-2006 6:51 PM

My mother recounted how after I was born, her friends decided she needed to get her out of the house because the whole housewife/mother thing was eating her brain away. So they were all in a car and they drove past a field where cows were grazing. Mom points to them and shouts "SEE! COWS!" and then realised there was no one in the car to say that to.

Post: #219787
Topic: "Original Vision"
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/219787/action/topic#219787
Time: 18-Jun-2006 6:11 PM

Lucas has for a while now been harping on the prequels and the SE as his original vision for Star Wars. It has long since passed into lore that lucas was forced to make changes to the first Star Wars (by various people, likely the studio or producer Gary Kurtz) to change the tone to make it less goofy, less kiddie to remove lame jokes, etc. Stuff found in Star Wars movies from ROTJ to the SE to the Prequels, since at that point, Lucas had enough power to do what he wanted.

I put forward that if he had made the original Star Wars the way he wanted, it would have been the only movie made. The lame jokes and more juvenile tone would have kept it from becoming the block buster it was. It would have done somewhat well, but not enough to warrant a sequel and if one was made anyway, it would have performed below expectations. But it's doubtful if one would have been made. So then Star Wars would have passed into history as a great movie... for children under 6.

I wish he would rethink his whole "original vision" stance because if he had his way back in 1977, he never would have again. Period.

Post: #219530
Topic: The Mosquito
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/219530/action/topic#219530
Time: 17-Jun-2006 7:12 PM

I am going to be thirty freakin' five later this year, and I heard it. And I'm a factory worker. You know, lots of ambient noise and stuff slowly eroding your hearing, but I have excellent hearing. I chart all the way across the top of their chart last time they tested me. So I have excellent hearing, I just don't listen.

And that is annoying. I remember going to the computer rooms in high school (all Apple II's) and one of the monitors always bugged me because I could hear when it was on because it made a noise like that.

Post: #219090
Topic: Lucasfilm to sell Physical Effects Unit
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/219090/action/topic#219090
Time: 16-Jun-2006 6:36 AM

Baby.
Bath water.

Post: #218624
Topic: Moving in from the Basher's Sanctuary (TF.n)
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/218624/action/topic#218624
Time: 14-Jun-2006 8:30 PM

We could also meet a nice girl and engage in consentual activities.

Post: #218575
Topic: Remember when everyone hated Return of the Jedi?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/218575/action/topic#218575
Time: 14-Jun-2006 5:07 PM

BEN
Obi-wan Kenobi... Obi-wan. Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time... a long time.

LUKE
I think my Uncle knew him. He said he was dead...

BEN
Oh, he's not dead, not yet... not yet.

LUKE
You know him!

BEN
Of course, of course I know him, he's me! I haven't gone by the name Obi-wan since before you were born.

Yeah. About five frickin' seconds before he was born, maybe.

Sheesh.

It is incredible how much the prequels ruin the OT with things like this that should really matter, but they do.

Post: #218393
Topic: Does George even read his own stuff?
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/218393/action/topic#218393
Time: 13-Jun-2006 10:58 PM

Molly?

Post: #218385
Topic: Prequel demographic breakdown
Link: https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/218385/action/topic#218385
Time: 13-Jun-2006 10:40 PM

Well, as someone 30+ years of age, I did not go see AOTC in the theatres. I was so disillusioned with TPM that I had given up on the prequels. I only went to ROTS because my brother dragged me.