Star Wars is better than everything

[Chen G. 3,949]

10 hours ago, JohnSolo said:

 

You don't need to agree, but it's true. It is a very lazy, poorly-written film. Let's just shoot the whole thing against mostly greenscreen and don't even bother to shoot any outdoor scenes using natural light. Seriously, how much extra effort would it have taken for Lucas to take that big ol' greenscreen outside the studio to the backlot? Not a single shot of that whole film was filmed outside of the studio's four walls; plain, lazy filmmaking.

 

The fact that Lucas didn't even bother trying to get the actors' performances right is yet another example of ROTS's laziness. Lucas wasn't bothered about doing the job right; he thought it could be fixed in editing. Welp, too bad, George.

 

Another example is the CGI characters and eye lines. If you're going to add a CGI character that an actor is going to interact with in the film, you better make sure you get the darn eye line of the actor right se he at least looks like he's looking at the character, instead of right through it. George himself said he didn't care about the eye lines. Another lazy step done by Lucas that would've helped sell the CGI characters. Movies like the LOTR films and TFA got this spot-on.

 

The script is very flawed as well. What about Anakin, who goes from being a Jedi to immediately betraying the galaxy on some bizarre hope that the dark side can save his wife, then immediately turning and asking what he's done, then immediately going full-on evil two seconds later? That's some top-notch writing, right there.

 

I don't think I need any more examples. Just look at some behind-the-scenes footage of Lucas making the prequels, and you just can't help but notice the boredom in his eyes. Once you notice it, it's impossible to un-see.

 

In watching the film, I feel like Lucas has finally hit upon the story he has been wanting to tell from the beginning: Anakin going evil. It’s the most linear, Anakin-centric of the three, and its the one with the clearest structure.

 

All the issues you mentioned - over-reliance on special effects and studio-bound filmmaking, acting, writing issues - permeate all three prequels and even Return of the Jedi to some degree.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

5 hours ago, Holko said:

I guess it's the shock of waiting for a masterpiece for so many years and being disappointed immensely.

 

A masterpiece? They're popcorn space movies for kids. I went in expecting Jedi and laser swords and aliens. I was also a kid.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

That's the problem with these new filmmakers too. They're trying to make a "masterpiece" but end up making a turd, forgetting that SW was originally meant to be a simple adventure story, not unlock the mysteries of the universe.

[Chen G. 3,949]

I think Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece.

 

Its a near-perfect film.

[Bilbo 3,709]

I’m so glad we’re all having this conversation again. There’s definitely things that haven’t been said before a million times since 1999. 

 

Prequel debates should definitely happen twice a week. Just in case we get any new members who feel they have an opinion on this that hasn’t been aired 3,00,000 times.  

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

2 hours ago, Chen G. said:

I think Empire Strikes Back is a masterpiece.

 

Its a near-perfect film.

 

Well, yeah, it's okay. Not bad.

[Chen G. 3,949]

1 hour ago, Bilbo said:

Prequel debates should definitely happen twice a week. Just in case we get any new members who feel they have an opinion on this that hasn’t been aired 3,00,000 times.  

 

I think there is a chance to make the discussion on the matter more nuanced, by grounding it more heavily in film theory. You can talk about the narrative format of each of the three, the planting-and-payoff mechanisms (or lack thereof), the commentary that the film offers (or doesn't) on the monastic Jedi order and the seemingly disfunctional republic, the dramatic weight (or inaptitude) of how Anakin's descent to evil is portrayed; the way action sequences help drive the plot forward - in short, all of things that make of break this in terms of cinema.

 

I think all of that gets lost in discussions that are based more in issues of production value or even acting. And so I do think its a discussion worth having, especially after the eighth episode, where we have some added perspective, especially on this George Lucas trilogy.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

It's alright, but SW fans really exaggerate. The Wrath of Khan was a better flick in that era and it has a superior iconic sci-fi scene in it. The best, actually.

[Chen G. 3,949]

26 minutes ago, Philippe Roaché said:

it has a superior iconic sci-fi scene in it. The best, actually.

 

Star Wars is not science fiction.

 

Its a fantasy story, in a science fiction setting.

[Bespin 8,480]

2 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

 

Star Wars is not science fiction.

 

Its a fantasy story, in a science fiction setting.

 

I almost wanted to "like" your post, but then I saw you avatar... and it's a dwarf.

 

Then I changed my mind.

[Chen G. 3,949]

Hey, Star Wars has a dwarf, too - its R2D2.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

-

[Bespin 8,480]

6 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Hey, Star Wars has a Dwarf - its R2D2.

 

People on forums never chose dwarves for their profil picture, it's like a non-written law.

 

You wonder why people don't respect you, well I tell you!

 

After that, do what you want dude!

 

 

[Chen G. 3,949]

Its funny, I'm actually quite tall in person (5 foot 9''), but I do love the Dwarves, and they're singing in the shot, so it seemed appropriate.

 

Why not, really? I also seem to recall a Bofur avatar somewhere around here. 

[Bespin 8,480]

Nothing is funnier!

[Bofur01 245]

48 minutes ago, Chen G. said:

Its funny, I'm actually quite tall in person (5 foot 9''), but I do love the Dwarves, and they're singing in the shot, so it seemed appropriate.

 

Why not, really? I also seem to recall a Bofur avatar somewhere around here. 

 

And whose would that be?  

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

-

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

1 hour ago, Chen G. said:

 

Star Wars is not science fiction.

 

Its a fantasy story, in a science fiction setting.

 

Actually, it's a soap opera. We call it a "space opera" but it's really a soap opera.

[Chen G. 3,949]

"Space Opera" isn't a term unique to Star Wars. It was basically a derogatory term used to designate space serials. While it is a play on soap opera, it doesn't mean that it is indeed a subgenre of that, in term of actual genre characteristic.

[Nick1Ø66 4,714]

The lot of you are wrong. Star Wars is a tone poem.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

On 12/03/2018 at 8:35 PM, Holko said:

Adywan's Revisited with some music restored by me for Empire

What did you do there?

The missing music is something I really miss a bit when watching that film.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

2 hours ago, Nick1066 said:

The lot of you are wrong. Star Wars is a tone poem.

 

Indeed.

 

 

 

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I remember I had the Quicktime video downloads of those ads.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

-

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

There are things he cannot do, but there are certainly things he will do.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

-

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

I think he's a she. And I think she's a changeling.

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

-

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

To find my mother.

[Holko 9,525]

4 hours ago, Pieter_Boelen said:

What did you do there?

The missing music is something I really miss a bit when watching that film.

 

Opened Sony Vegas and basically reinserted everything except the part in the Luke v Vader duel from when he jumps out of the freezer and the Force Theme and Yoda's Theme starts, that's really unfitting, the piano noises and that tense building motif are great.

[Bespin 8,480]

My 1997 ESB Special Edition CD1 is unplayable since the first day I bought It (glue problem with the FANTASTIC cardboard case). I even washed it with Bonami spray... nothing ever worked. SCRAP.

 

I try to re-encode it today... and it works. No error.

 

OK, you will say, it's 20 years after...

 

But thanks to EAC and my (not so) new Samsung RED external CD player.

 

I love technology when it works like that. 

[Jurassic Shark 12,070]

So finally, you can play it after 21 years!

[Bespin 8,480]

8 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

So finally, you can play it after 21 years!

 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

So you know how humans poop when they die?  How does this apply to force ghosts?  When Obi-Wan died, did he take the turd with him into the afterlife or leave it behind in his robes (which Vader steps on)?

[John 2,032]

Very true. When you think about it, Jar Jar stepping in poop isn’t out of place anymore, it is actually part of a long tradition dating back to the very first film:

 

[Wojo 2,453]

Shit's getting deep in here. 

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

20 hours ago, John said:

Very true. When you think about it, Jar Jar stepping in poop isn’t out of place anymore, it is actually part of a long tradition dating back to the very first film:

 

"Oh!!  Icky icky goo!"

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

https://strongbadgmail.tumblr.com/post/173469471281/mockwa-cool

[Bespin 8,480]

May the 4th be with you, at the Sharkie's Club Med Turkoise.

[Holko 9,525]

The no-DNR versions of project 4k77 (both 1080p and 2160p) are complete and can be found with a bit of careful looking for free (not going to explicitly comment it here). I'm not actually sure what the difference between this and the Silver Screen Edition is (apart from this being sourced from a 4k scan, of course), but gotta get all possible great versions of my favourite movie of all time!

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I'm watching The Last Jedi for the first time.

As someone who enjoyed Force Awakens then forgot about it hours later, struggled to stay awake for Rogue One, and actually had fun with Solo...I'm very confused why I'm supposed to hate this.

Issues are apparent, but nowhere near as intensely so as I had long anticipated.

[Nick Parker 3,040]

4 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

I'm watching The Last Jedi for the first time.

As someone who enjoyed Force Awakens then forgot about it hours later, struggled to stay awake for Rogue One, and actually had fun with Solo...I'm very confused why I'm supposed to hate this.

 

'Cause it takes everything you love about Star Wars and ergo your childhood and bludgeons it, twists it, perverts it into a disgusting PC pile of putrid corpse flesh!

 

Somehow.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Good thing Star Wars isn't my childhood, I guess!

Though even with my childhood, I only bother to remember that atrocious Nightmare on Elm Street remake exists when the internet world brings it up.

Anyway, I'm enjoying this. Cinematography and set design is really lovely (Snoke's throne room reminded me of Suspiria of all things), Kylo Ren's funny and Rey...makes me feel things.

[Manakin Skywalker 4,892]

1 hour ago, Holko said:

The no-DNR versions of project 4k77 (both 1080p and 2160p) are complete and can be found with a bit of careful looking. I'm not actually sure what the difference between this and the Silver Screen Edition is (apart from this being sourced from a 4k scan, of course), but gotta get all possible great versions of my favourite movie of all time!

I've been looking for them since they were released last week, with no luck. In the comments on the original page, someone said to use some Usenet bullshit, but I'm not giving my money to some shady website. Any idea where to find them for free?

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

Okay, yeah, the flying Leia scene IS...weird. I'll give you guys that. 

It's not...BAD...it's just...awkward. Almost Puma Man-ish.

It's not the concept that's particularly weird, just...visually. Who knows, maybe it looked less awkward in storyboards.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Its awesome!

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

I'll take "weird and awkward" over "boring" any day!

[Holko 9,525]

I've warmed up to it a bit after noticing she flies through a hologram of the Supremacy, making it disappear and thus foreshadowing its end.

[Kasey Kockroach 2,344]

OOOOOHHH STILL THAT FIERY SPIT OF HOPE

YOU HAVE THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A JEDI

And because of that, you must die. 

[The Illustrious Jerry 3,356]

24 minutes ago, Holko said:

I've warmed up to it a bit after noticing she flies through a hologram of the Supremacy, making it disappear and thus foreshadowing its end.

Ohmigosh yeah!

18 minutes ago, kaseykockroach said:

OOOOOHHH STILL THAT FIERY SPIT OF HOPE

YOU HAVE THE TRUE SPIRIT OF A JEDI

And because of that, you must die. 

Pathetic child. I cannot be betrayed.