Just to let you guys know, whoever is uninformed that Episode II comes to DVD and VHS in November somewhere around the 19th. Just a friendly reminder.
Posted by O Captain Mike Captain (Member # 709) on :
hm.. i've had it on CD since two days before it came out in theatres
what features are on the non-bootleg?
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Why not wait two days and watch it in a really nice sound system. Those Jango Fett 'depth charges' wouldn't have scared this shit out of you when the first one went off - when you are watching it at home. The sound came from behind you and to the left - I remember that... and it sort of 'emerged' and then BOOM!. Probably the best bit of AotC.
Posted by O Captain Mike Captain (Member # 709) on :
i did wait
Posted by Proteus (Member # 212) on :
I also had it on VCD about a week before it was released. I waited to see it in the theater as well.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by O Captain Mike Captain:
what features are on the non-bootleg?
The feature of it not having shite a lousy picture and shite sound?
I heard it's going to be similar to the episode 1 DVD. Except with a much, much, much better film attached. Woo.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Maybe it's just me, but the magic of Star Wars is dead.
I actually liked this movie when it was out in theatres; I even went and saw it twice.
But watching it in the comfort of my home has really destroyed this movie.
The digital photography is perhaps what did it. At the theatre I was just hyped to be at a new Star Wars movie, willing to overlook many things...but now, when I can sit there with my mouth closed and watch it with a clear mind, I'm seeing some really crappy FX stuff.
The digital effects look horribly fake in many areas. Blue screen effects do not work unless the background is outer space (the best part of the movie effects wise is the asteroid chase scene)
The worst effects are on the capital world. The background has so little realistic depth that it looks like a matte painting.
This would be acceptable if the story itself were superior, but it's clearly not.
I hate CGI. I don't hate digital photography, but one needs to understand that digital effects will fall flat if used too extensively in a digital frame.
Anyway.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
I just was watching Ep II in an AV store which had a big digital screen and surround sound. I came in at the chase in the ship of Dooku.
So I got basically the end.
It reaffirmed how CRAP that movie is. It's worse than Episode 1. At least episode 1 had character building.
Oversaturation of effects. It's so obvious when Padme tells that storm trooper to go get ships that CGI-ness of him.
The crappiest light-sabre duel in SW history - that includes luke and that little practice droid.
Yoda is NOT Sonic the Hedgehog. I'll say it again - they sped him up etc. etc. so your eye wouldn't be able to linger on the CGI'ness of Yoda.
I remember them saying they had to add normal effects to Yoda... i.e. stuff that would have appeared if he were still a physical puppet like the 'bobbing' of his ears. OMG That was REALLY fake. (This is when he's talking/sitting still - not fighting!!)
Did anyone notice (or is there a non-violence option) that the slicing off of Anakin's arm looked VERY cut. Infact I think it was cut! (the film - not his arm - well yes his arm was but... you know what I mean).
Even the 'force electricity' was FAKE as - in ROTJ it looked really awesome - and looked like it was coming from the emperor's fingers... here you could see the movement of Dooku's hands and the 'electricity' not moving with it.
The ending was so shite - i.e. the whole wrap up. And it was most definately a different angel/cut in the scene when Bail Antilles, that Rodian, Palpatine etc. are on the balcony. In the movie Jimmy Smits 'punches' the wall in a much closer view and I think from the side. To add emphasis. During my watching of the DVD it was from the front and you could see everyone.
I'm sure lucus changed things between the Ep 1 movie and the DVD/tv release. I'm POSITIVE they got rid of that annoying "Yippee!!" and "Pleeeeasee" from Anakin.
How badly can Hayden Christiaansen NOT act!?!
And one of the corniest lines of the movie.
"It is clear this battle can't be decided with our knowledge of the forcee, that mean we must decide it with sabres". UGH.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
I just watched the DVD and I'll second alot of what you're saying. There were a couple of pretty corny lines such as the banter between Dooku and ObiWan and Dooku and Yoda that you just mentioned. Whenever I listen to it, I think of a badly dubbed Ninja vs. Samurai movie and the cheesy dialog that goes with it.
The only CGI that really bothers me is the Anakin action scenes where he's riding the big cow and again when he's doing various things in the arena. It kind of looks like a Poser figure.
Now... I can understand using CGI for the troopers in the background. But why would you not use real people for the close ups? I mean come on! Final Fantasy could get away with it because every bit of it was digital. But why would you not use real people? That said... most of the Trooper work didn't bother me too awfully bad. It's just the knowledge that there were no real people used that kind of irritates me.
The saber duel was dwarfed by the kick ass fight scene in Episode 1, IMHO. There was a cool but in there where Anakin goes nuts with two sabers... but it didn't last nearly long enough. He's the Chosen One for goodness sake... He should have at least given Dooku a run for his money.
Anyway... I watched the cut scenes, too. Most of them were rightfully dropped, but there are a couple that probably should've stayed.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
quote:Originally posted by Aban Rune: I just watched the DVD and I'll second alot of what you're saying. (snip)
Now... I can understand using CGI for the troopers in the background. But why would you not use real people for the close ups? I mean come on! Final Fantasy could get away with it because every bit of it was digital. But why would you not use real people? That said... most of the Trooper work didn't bother me too awfully bad. It's just the knowledge that there were no real people used that kind of irritates me.
The saber duel was dwarfed by the kick ass fight scene in Episode 1, IMHO. There was a cool but in there where Anakin goes nuts with two sabers... but it didn't last nearly long enough. He's the Chosen One for goodness sake... He should have at least given Dooku a run for his money.
(snip)
Ep1's sabre duel was the best - full stop!
Anakin didn't really go crazy... or not enough - or not long enough - quite right. I did like the only light being the light-sabres. You never have the light from the blades reflecting on anything. Like Vader's shiny suit
And yeah - why couldn't they use real people for the up-close storm troopers!?! Especially that bit with Padme on the sand dune talking to the clone who she told to get more ships. Her eye-sight wasn't on cue - and it really fake.
Can you explain the wierd edit with no real lobbing off of Anakin's arm? It sort of looked like it was censored!
The thing that brings the movie down - WAY too much CGI. It was like a computer game! And I think the key point in this is having CGI characters when there could have easily been real human actors. (I.e. close-up talking)
Andrew
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
quote: At least episode 1 had character building.
Impossible, as it had no characters.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Well, yeah - but it had character... establishing?? At least a little something that dealt with... stuff like a little boy leaving his mother. And a Queen would would stand by her people. That was about it.
Posted by newark (Member # 888) on :
As I listened to the introductions to the deleted scenes, I noted the emphasis the makers of the film had on getting from one point to another and how scenes interrupted this flow. (A number of these scenes I feel would have helped the story line.) This is by the book film making. And this is why the story failed for me. Whatever energy there is in the film, the by-the-book film making has beaten into pulp.
I am not anticipating the third installment in this trilogy.
Posted by E. Cartman (Member # 256) on :
The magic of Star Wars died at about the same time Lucas decided to switch priorities from people to special effects.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
So, uh, it died while the first film was in pre-production, then?
Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
quote:Originally posted by E. Cartman: The magic of Star Wars died at about the same time Lucas decided to switch priorities from people to special effects.
Many actors have noted that as a director Lucas has never been very strong (or really tried) at getting emotions out of actors. Maybe he's just trying to play to his strengths.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
He Directed and wrote ANH - and then got others to direct the rest and co-write (with him) the rest. Why didn't he do that this time around? Especially after the 'backlash' of Ep 1.
Posted by Nimpim (Member # 205) on :
"The thing that brings the movie down - WAY too much CGI."
I liked most of the CGI. The cloner-planet had a nice sterile, art noveau style to it, and the final battlescenes were bombastic.
I agree with too much CGI making scenes dull because there's no challenge to it. That's what I hated the most with the two Potter-movies, those annoying, flashy broom-tournaments.
This is one of the things I liked about LOTR, sure they had lots of CGI, but they used a whole plethora of filmtricks as well, from huge detailed sets to them "bigatures". Classy!
I also felt robbed of Anakin's finest doublesaber-hour, the trailer had me hoping he'd at least knock Dooku to the floor once, in a saturated midichlorian rage (since it's said to be so damn high), THEN make a blunder and get maimed.
As for Christopher Lee and his lines, I always say, like with Schwarzenegger, he's as good as the current director makes him.
I'll buy the DVD anyhow, looking forward to it.
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
"As for Christopher Lee and his lines, I always say, like with Schwarzenegger, he's as good as the current director makes him."
Well, wouldn't the lines fall in the writer's domain.
Posted by Peregrinus (Member # 504) on :
The writer just writes the lines. The director is the one who gets just the right cadence and tone and emotion out of those lines from the way they direct the actors' performances.
The best stuff I've ever seen is where a writer who knows and loves the arena in which s/he's writing writes dialogue for actors who know and love their characters and get directed by directors who know how to get stellar material from their actors, usually by trusting them to know their characters and just concentrating on lighting and angles and whatnot.
In that context, the best Star Wars I've seen was Episode V. Irvin Kirschner is a wonderful director, the actors had grown quite fond of their characters by then, and George had the help of Larry Kasdan, who is quite a durn good screenwriter in my opinion.
--Jonah
Posted by Obi Juan (Member # 90) on :
quote: As for Christopher Lee and his lines, I always say, like with Schwarzenegger, he's as good as the current director makes him.
I'd say that holds true for all the actors in this movie and the last one too. Liam Neeson is an excellent actor but his performance in Ep. I was dry and hollow.
Posted by Jason Abbadon (Member # 882) on :
quote:Originally posted by Obi Juan: [QUOTE] Liam Neeson is an excellent actor but his performance in Ep. I was dry and hollow.
Like his chest cavity after the lightsaber duel?
Posted by Matrix (Member # 376) on :
quote:The best stuff I've ever seen is where a writer who knows and loves the arena in which s/he's writing writes dialogue for actors who know and love their characters and get directed by directors who know how to get stellar material from their actors, usually by trusting them to know their characters and just concentrating on lighting and angles and whatnot.
I guess we can look forward to Star Trek X then right?
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
quote:Originally posted by Free ThoughtCrime America: The worst effects are on the capital world. The background has so little realistic depth that it looks like a matte painting.
Yes. So that's much worse than the alternative of, er, a matte painting.
quote:Andrew writes: I'm sure lucus changed things between the Ep 1 movie and the DVD/tv release. I'm POSITIVE they got rid of that annoying "Yippee!!" and "Pleeeeasee" from Anakin.
The fact that there are two extra scenes in it is probably a bigger clue that it's been changed.
quote:The crappiest light-sabre duel in SW history - that includes luke and that little practice droid.
I did try thinking up a witty response to this, but failed. So I'll simply say this. What?
Posted by AndrewR (Member # 44) on :
Yoda, Annakin, Obi Wan v Dooku. Wasn't THAT great. Ep I ending was WAY better. Yoda looked like frelling Sonic the Hedgehog.
Posted by Nimrod Pimding (Member # 205) on :
What do you expect from a man a fourth of your mass and N times the force power??? Who've been practicing for 700 years?
If any of you have played "Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight", where you face a Dark Jedi named Pic who is of Yoda's race, you'd see they've intended for years for these geezers to have extreme reflex and speed.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
Mmmm.... Dark Yoda, you say? That would be a cool game, methinks... Install it at work, I shall...
Posted by Nimrod Pimding (Member # 205) on :
Yes, Pic and his big brother Gorc is a handful, when Pic does his mind trick on you, so he disappears from your vision, you'll develop a healthy paranoia to an assful of saber.
Here are some custom Model jobs I found, very accurate to the game, of Gorc and Pic.
Gorc is fatter in the game, but it's a nice model anyhow.
Posted by Aban Rune (Member # 226) on :
coooooolll....
Posted by E. Cartman (Member # 256) on :
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
