The force is a more effective concept when it is subtle, but I suppose this is as good as Star Wars can get in the 21st century.
God, I am sick of the bad guys starships always looking like Star Destroyers.
There is a saying; "the exception proves the rule". Are the prequels the rule (CGI is inherently detrimental to film-making) or the exception (CGI is good). I stand by my belief that nothing is just a tool (read: neutral). Was the wheel just a tool? Is the internet just a tool? Are spell-check programs just a tool? No; they all have an affect on us, good or bad. Maybe CGI is both good and bad and unfortunately, when Lucas gets his hands on it, it is bad. Real bad.
Anyway, I've probably harped on this point long enough for people to be sick of me so I'll comment on the actual topic! It is awesome that Spielberg is not messing around with Jaws; it has a lot of similarities with Star Wars from a historical perspective (first summer blockbuster, lack of advanced FX technology ends up actually benefiting the film etc.).
TheBoost said:
theprequelsrule said:
The medium is the message. If you don't think that CGI have a negative effect on how filmmakers approach the creation of a film you have your head up your ass. Does anyone here think that the great epic blockbusters of the pre-CGI era are not superior in nearly every way to the modern garbage we are fed? Yes, I am including overrated mediocrities like LOTR and Avatar as "modern garbage"
A tool is never just a tool. If you don't recognize that you end up like Mr. Lucas.
I don't think CGI has a 'negative effect' in the slightest. Crap is crap. It's always been made. I don't think there's much more of it now than there ever has been. I think we've been "fed" as much garbage since the advent of cinema.
Perhaps from the vantage of your glorious high-horse you can better define what you mean by "great epics" and "modern garbage." Or is this just another fine example of '...kids today... crap... off my lawn... grrrr.... Jar Jar... grrrrr....'
The 1963 classic Jason and the Argonauts is a series of special effects sequences strung together with the slimmest of plots and no ending. Are you counting it as a classic epic? Many do. Perhaps if they hadn't been so obsessed with stop-motion they would have given the story an ending. Or are you comparing Lawrence of Arabia to Attack of the Clones?
Perhaps I am just biased then, but I can't help but feel that CGI and the effect it has had on filmmaking is, in great part, why we have to have a website like OT.com. I know I am assuming that is has had an effect of course.
It just seems weird that there are people on this forum who are defending CGI as "just another tool" when it seems to me that this "tool" is largely responsible for our current dilemma; no proper release of the OOT. I doubt George would have bothered trying to make 'special editions"without CGI effects. And if he had, they would have in all likelihood looked a lot better since he would have been forced to use traditional effects that would have blended in with the original material more effectively than CGI.
Anchorhead said:
George - The original film was basically subtitled The Tragedy of Darth Vader
At this point, his delusion is just plain disturbing. He seems to have absolutely zero understanding of how easy it is to prove that statement is complete bullshit.
???
I'm with you. What the fuck happened to the guy?! What kind of people does he surround himself with to allow him to make such claims?
The medium is the message. If you don't think that CGI have a negative effect on how filmmakers approach the creation of a film you have your head up your ass. Does anyone here think that the great epic blockbusters of the pre-CGI era are not superior in nearly every way to the modern garbage we are fed? Yes, I am including overrated mediocrities like LOTR and Avatar as "modern garbage"
A tool is never just a tool. If you don't recognize that you end up like Mr. Lucas.
zombie84 said:
I don't want to oversell the books, because they have their flaws, but they are pretty darned good in my opinion.
The biggest flaw, IIRC, was that there was a distinct lack of humour. Otherwise; good stuff.
Maybe their best achievement was having excellent antagonists who weren't Sith!
In a way, he is sort of doing a very minimalist special edition. I wish George had done that. I believe there was a version of Star Trek: The Motion Picture that did something similar - new effects shots were done to replace older ones, but using the same FX tech as the original shots.
(Sigh) I wish George had done that.
Anchorhead said:
Good points on the CGI pre-hate by some folks, which I just can't understand. CGI is the matte painting of the 21st century and can be a very effective resource in the right hands.
I respectfully disagree. CGI do not exist as real things. Matte paintings (and models) are real - they can be touched. They have unintentional flaws that add to their reality.
CGI are only bits of data. The human mind revolts at CGI as something intrinsically unreal.
Between CGI and 3D garbage, I have found myself completely disinterested in every "blockbuster" film that comes down the pipes these days. When the acting and story are good, it actually makes things worse.
Anchorhead said:
TV's Frink said:
Leia really let herself go.
I am afraid I'll have to disagree....
;-)
All kidding aside, she has it all over Carrie Fisher. Even when Fisher was in her prime. No, I'm not kidding.
I like chains. Where's my sock?!
captainsolo said:
OT.com convention complete with dance party, gif posting events, dolby vs. dts debate, panel discussions on the differing video releases and audio mixes, and coffee.
All led by the most handsome pilot in the universe.
Thoughts?
Will someone come dressed as Oola? Boob slippage for the win!
none said:
Previous official thread:
http://originaltrilogy.com/forum/topic.cfm/StarWarsLegacy-com-The-Official-Thread/topic/1418/
I guess I forgot that the search engine is my friend. Thanks.
From the screenshots, this looks amazing. A wonderful effort Lee.
One gripe: Threepio is too yellow and not gold enough.
Ric Olie is really important, but it is also important to discover if any chicks in their late 30s (biological clock ticking and all that) will be at this event dressed as Twileks. If so, I may attend. I have some custom stormtrooper armour that I can't wait to show off! That will get those lekku twitching, if you know what I'm saying (wink wink).
I’m surprised there has been so little discussion of this project so, um, let’s discuss it.
Vision of the Future would have been the perfect send-off for Star Wars. I kind of wish no further products (be they movie, comic, TV, book, or game) were made after it - with the exception of KOTOR 1 & 2.
timdiggerm said:
New Republic and contemporaneous to the OT are the two I think you'd like, although obviously not everything within those.
I have no idea how you'd feel about New Jedi Order (a loooong storyline during New Republic times). It sure isn't World Shrinkage.
Anchorhead liking NJO? Inconceivable!
TV's Frink said:
I question your motives.
Suspicion is the first step on the path towards wisdom.
timdiggerm said:
And theprequelsrule has made some of the greatest posts ever to grace these boards.
I have only reached such heights by standing on the shoulder's of giants such as Frink, Ric, and many others. 4 years of lurking has served me well.
The film was sadly lacking in CGI gophers.
TV's Frink said:
There's your answer Bloodnose. Well, that as well as this:
theprequelsrule said:
The prequels just suck, although TPM was at least an attempt to make a film with an original vision. I think. It still sucked.
I'm having a hard time telling if he's a sock.
I certainly need a sock when thinking of Aayla Secura. Another fine contribution to Star Wars lore from the EU.
BloodnoseThePirate said:
Yeah, I'm having a hard time telling if this guy is serious.
How could I not be serious? The main character, is like, a clone! A clone of the guy who you control in the first game! Clones are awesome, which is why Attack of the Clones was awesome! Well, that and the hilarious C-3P0 scenes in the Droid Assembly Factory. In fact, I think I'm going to go watch those scenes right now!
adywan said:
Yet again us fans outside of the USA get forgotten. 4 of the 6 movies were made here in the UK, yet we only get 1 event. But i agree with Warbler, there is nothing to celebrate with the current sate of the franchise.
Again, I am forced to point out the pure awesomeness of TFU 2. Greatest game ever I tell 'ya!!
TV's Frink said:
I think you are looking for a different thread. This thread is about Leia the Racist until S_Matt returns to this jerkoff forum.
Now I feel stupid. Thanks a lot Frink!
TV's Frink said:
^lol at member name
It's the best I could do. Lame, I know.
Star Wars (1977) possessed an energy that none of the sequels/prequels have been able to match. It has a certain freshness and innocence to it. The terrible shooting conditions, time constraints, and limited $ and technology forced talented people to great heights of innovation and creativity. It also has the best pacing of any movie I have ever seen; a lot of the credit goes to the editing skills of the two Lucases (Luci?).
Empire, for all it's merits, is a Hollywood film. Quite frankly, I do find Empire a little boring at times and I sometimes think the "darkness" of the material actually did more harm than good to the series.
Return, for all it's faults, is Hamill's best performance. Since he is what the series is all about I always thought Return was underrated. I can see the critics point of view of course; the totally mailed in/coked out performances by Ford and Fisher, teddy bears etc.
I've become more and more like Anchorhead - the original film is kind of in a separate category of it's own and is almost always the film I choose to watch when I watch a Star Wars movie. It is, in a way, the only Star Wars movie. The truest to George's vision from 1975/76 (no matter what he now claims).
The prequels just suck, although TPM was at least an attempt to make a film with an original vision. I think. It still sucked.
