off topic Star Wars - now with SPOILERS! (Read at your own risk)

[SwampD]

The one big thing this movie has going for it over the prequels, other than the obvious lack of Lucas, is that we have no idea what is going to happen. I always got a laugh out of how they were trying to get all the little kids to love Anakin. It never made any sense. Here we don't have to worry about that problem anymore. It'll be nice going in not knowing exactly which characters will die.

 

Right now I'm trying to think of any movies or stories out there that actually wound up making a character more interesting through prequels. Just about the only one I can think of is the Metal Gear video game series. It can be done with good story telling, but apparently not when your name is George Lucas. Can anyone think of any others? I'm sure there are a few more examples out there.

Prometheus?

[Robviously]

The one big thing this movie has going for it over the prequels, other than the obvious lack of Lucas, is that we have no idea what is going to happen. I always got a laugh out of how they were trying to get all the little kids to love Anakin. It never made any sense. Here we don't have to worry about that problem anymore. It'll be nice going in not knowing exactly which characters will die.

 

Right now I'm trying to think of any movies or stories out there that actually wound up making a character more interesting through prequels. Just about the only one I can think of is the Metal Gear video game series. It can be done with good story telling, but apparently not when your name is George Lucas. Can anyone think of any others? I'm sure there are a few more examples out there.

It can be done but it's very difficult and rare.

 

Godfather, Part II definitely worked with the Vito Corleone scenes, but it wasn't a straight prequel (it was half and half). Paranormal Activity 2 took place before the first one and was a great addition to the story (but you specified "making a character more interesting"). And this is a stretch but I'd say the flashbacks in LOST were really effective as well.

 

I do think there was potential for a good story in there somewhere. In the originals you hear Obi-Wan say "I thought I could instruct him as well as Yoda. I was wrong." You get the sense that Obi-Wan's hubris played a role in this happening. And they could have done a character study in watching a good guy turn evil (similar to what we're seeing with Rick in Walking Dead) but instead they made Anakin an obvious nut job from the start. There could have been a love triangle too but instead they forgot to give Luke/Leia's mother any personality at all. And, of course, they could have introduced a ton of completely new characters and made us interested in those but I guess Lucas didn't realize that was an option.

[TrueBlueGED]

They also could have cast someone as Anakin who could, ya know, actually act.

 

 

[shrader]

I do think there was potential for a good story in there somewhere. In the originals you hear Obi-Wan say "I thought I could instruct him as well as Yoda. I was wrong." You get the sense that Obi-Wan's hubris played a role in this happening. And they could have done a character study in watching a good guy turn evil (similar to what we're seeing with Rick in Walking Dead) but instead they made Anakin an obvious nut job from the start. There could have been a love triangle too but instead they forgot to give Luke/Leia's mother any personality at all. And, of course, they could have introduced a ton of completely new characters and made us interested in those but I guess Lucas didn't realize that was an option.

 

Yes, I agree that they had some potential but booted it badly. I would have liked to see more of a focus on Obi-Wan, especially since they had a much better actor in that role. Hell, they probably would have been better starting it with an older Anakin, instead having Liam Neeson as Obi-Wan and not wasting such a good actor in a one and done role.

[Robviously]

Yes, I agree that they had some potential but booted it badly. I would have liked to see more of a focus on Obi-Wan, especially since they had a much better actor in that role. Hell, they probably would have been better starting it with an older Anakin, instead having Liam Neeson as Obi-Wan and not wasting such a good actor in a one and done role.

No doubt. The worst thing about Episode 1 is that it is completely unnecessary. Literally nothing happens in that movie that we need to know about for the remaining movies.

 

It's like Lucas decided he needed to spend an entire movie setting up that Darth Vader was a kid once and that he was traumatized and that's why he eventually turned.

 

There are two problems with this:

1. It's not worth spending an entire movie on.

2. It actually makes his story LESS compelling. If Anakin Skywalker was a fairly regular Jedi who eventually succumbed to greed or his own moral failings, that's a lot more interesting to watch than a traumatized kid having issues later.

 

Of course, the execution was also terrible. There's no reason the Jedi or Queen Amidala wouldn't immediately fly back to Tatooine as soon as the credits roll in TPM and buy the kid's mom back. Kinda the least they could do after he saved the whole planet.

[darksabre]

Am I the only one who liked the pod racers? Not that they helped the movie much but at least they were fun.

[Sabre Dance]

When I go back and watch the original its almost laughable how cheezy the effects seem now. Cutting edge back then but so japanese monster movie looking now. Loved it as a kid but find it hard to get excited now.

I like how cheesy the old ones are. Sign of the times. Hell there was only supposed to be one movie. They never expected the first one to do so well.

 

Don't forget, most of the effects in the original three movies were not CGI; they were computer-controlled cameras skimming past models of X-wings and the surface of the Death Star. I think they look more realistic than any of the CGI in Episodes I-III. Except for the haziness under Luke's Land Speeder.... :(

Edited December 2, 2014 by Sabre Dance

[darksabre]

 

 

 

Don't forget, most of the effects in the original three movies were not CGI; they were computer-controlled cameras skimming past models of X-wings and the surface of the Death Star. I think they look more realistic than any of the CGI in Episodes I-III. Except for the haziness under Luke's Land Speeder.... :(

 

I love the old Vaseline on the camera story about the speeder. It adds character.

[GoPre]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/entertainment/feat-star-wars-force-awakens-trailer/index.html

 

Not sure if you guys have seen the latest trailer, so figured I'd post it. Looks great!

[LGR4GM]

Confidence abounds that it's Revan's mask. A lot of people are expecting some Old Republic nods. 

Knights of the Old Republic was so much fun.  I remember playing it 3 or 4 times start to finish and one time I just decided to KILL EVERYONE.  Not surprisingly at the end people are not big fans of you.  If it is Revan, very pumped.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/16/entertainment/feat-star-wars-force-awakens-trailer/index.html

 

Not sure if you guys have seen the latest trailer, so figured I'd post it. Looks great!

They did in another thread young padawan.  However you are wise to try and post it here.

 

[sabresith]

Man, if that is Darth Revan I will be totally jacked. One of my favorite stories in the EU. Do you guys think Darth Maleck will be in it?

[Weave]

What is this EU that you kids speak of?  I never got into the spin offs, but I'm curious.

[LGR4GM]

What is this EU that you kids speak of?  I never got into the spin offs, but I'm curious.

Extended Universe.  It is Star Wars outside of Episode 1-6.  Knights of the old republic takes place something like 1,000 years before the empire.

[sabresith]

The EU is the expanded universe of Star Wars. The EU tells the stories pre, during, and after the movies. When Disney bought the rights to Star Wars, they rebranded the EU as legends. Making the movies, the clone wars animation, and the new marvel comics the canon of the star wars universe.

[inkman]

Matt Ellis

 

https://youtu.be/tZVdR19E5mU

[thewookie1]

Looks really good, Chewy and Han really sealed it though for me.   Grr Rar!!!

[Weave]

Extended Universe.  It is Star Wars outside of Episode 1-6.  Knights of the old republic takes place something like 1,000 years before the empire.

 

 

The EU is the expanded universe of Star Wars. The EU tells the stories pre, during, and after the movies. When Disney bought the rights to Star Wars, they rebranded the EU as legends. Making the movies, the clone wars animation, and the new marvel comics the canon of the star wars universe.

 

 

Ahh, got it.  I still haven't finished Clone Wars.  Would have liked it better as live action instead of animation.

[LTS]

The second teaser was amazing.  The shot of the downed star destroyer was incredible.

 

Things look really good.

 

And I think I could watch X-wings fly over water all day.

 

But.. have you seen this:

 

[qwksndmonster]

I like how the red ships had the Commander Shepard N7 symbol on them.

[GoPre]

I like how the red ships had the Commander Shepard N7 symbol on them.

 

I didn't notice that. Good catch. 

[shrader]

I won't pretend to know what most of you are talking about, but I will say this.  I want Wedge in the movie.  He needs to at least be mentioned in some form.

[drnkirishone]

[JujuFish]

I never understood the love for Star Wars.  Mediocre space operas at best.  Emphasis on opera.

[GoPre]

 Ha This could be used in the lottery thread! On a serious note, great video. Thumbs up to the person who made it. 

[mjd1001]

I never understood the love for Star Wars.  Mediocre space operas at best.  Emphasis on opera.

 

I can understand a fanbase for Star wars, I just cannot understand the total mania.  Some of the movies were good movies, some kinda dragged a little.  No movies (even the first one) had a GREAT story.  I'm pretty sure I'll it when it hits the theater, just I'll probably wait a week or two in order to avoid the massive crowds.