Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
#1701
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
The prequels show the center of the freakin' universe at the height of it's power. We see technology belonging to an elite group of warrior monks, and several spaceship flown by the power elite. Yeah, it's pretty nice stuff. In the original trilogy we see backwater shitholes and a smuggler's junkheap ship. The Rebellion is a rag tag collection of whatever they can beg, borrow or steal. And the Empire is a military organization, where function is all that matters.
#1702
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Some of the good ideas:
-showing how from Anakin's point of view, the Jedi weren't completely in the right, like when Mace wants to just kill Palpatine instead of brining him to face justice.
-demonstrating how Palpatine was this surpreme evil genius. No matter what path the Jedi and Republic goes in, he wins.
-showing how things got the way they are via political stuff.
-showing how from Anakin's point of view, the Jedi weren't completely in the right, like when Mace wants to just kill Palpatine instead of brining him to face justice.
-demonstrating how Palpatine was this surpreme evil genius. No matter what path the Jedi and Republic goes in, he wins.
-showing how things got the way they are via political stuff.
Eh, I used to think ROTS was the best of the three, just rewatched it recently and it's far worse than I remembered. Everything with Palpatine is ridiculous, old men leaping around fighting with lightsabers looks stupid and Grevious is laughable at best. McGregor's Kenobi is the only worthwhile thing in that movie. Thank goodness he's getting a series - he's the only worthwhile thing to come out of the prequels.
I think bringing him back is the worst thing they can do with a trilogy I have thoroughly enjoyed. He's so over the top in the PT - I was reminded how stupid it looked when he somehow lightninged himself into old age
The lightning himself is actually a good idea of Lucas's. In the OT we think he's the decrepit, ancient dude who's running the Empire, but if we see him as a regular dude in the first two OT films, 20 years is not enough to turn him into the cryptkeeper.
Is this really that difficult?
The prequels show the center of the freakin' universe at the height of it's power. We see technology belonging to an elite group of warrior monks, and several spaceship flown by the power elite. Yeah, it's pretty nice stuff. In the original trilogy we see backwater shitholes and a smuggler's junkheap ship. The Rebellion is a rag tag collection of whatever they can beg, borrow or steal. And the Empire is a military organization, where function is all that matters.
The prequels show the center of the freakin' universe at the height of it's power. We see technology belonging to an elite group of warrior monks, and several spaceship flown by the power elite. Yeah, it's pretty nice stuff. In the original trilogy we see backwater shitholes and a smuggler's junkheap ship. The Rebellion is a rag tag collection of whatever they can beg, borrow or steal. And the Empire is a military organization, where function is all that matters.
And if the discrepancy in technology and aesthetic is because the Republic is at the height of its power, how do you explain a 1950s American diner in Attack of the Clones? Why don't we see any beat up, ragged Nabooian star ships in the OT?
The real reason is that the production design team was inspired by the look of spaceships from 1930s science fiction pulp magazine covers and just went with it. The in-universe explanation came after.
Just like how Queen Amidala and Darth Maul are two completely different characters and species but both look like some Japanese Kabuki actors. Yeah, there’s two different in-universe explanations for why they look that way but something kind of feels off about it. A lot of talent and hard work went into the PT but I don't feel like it ever gelled together successfully.
Last edited by brayzie; 09-10-19 at 08:54 PM.
#1703
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
for the "the prequel ships and tech looked so much more advanced than the OT" crowd... I give you a car from the 30s, and a jeep from the 40s. tell me which one looks more advanced.
#1704
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
so is the reason for the visual discrepancy because the technology stagnated once the Empire took over, or is it because the one starship is for wealthy civilian consumers and the OT starships are all for the military?
Last edited by brayzie; 09-10-19 at 11:44 PM.
#1705
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I can kind of dismiss that the aesthetics don’t look exactly the same to be truthful. I mean in the span between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy it’s easy to believe that technology would have change and yet at the same time a lot of the ships and whatnot being used by the Rebels in particular would be worn down from use and since they’re a smaller group wouldn’t have the means to get or build more advanced ships.
As far as aesthetics of the different locales we saw planets in the prequels that weren’t in the originals so I can accept different planets would have different looks/technology. Tatooine looked essentially the same, we just saw more of it.
As far as aesthetics of the different locales we saw planets in the prequels that weren’t in the originals so I can accept different planets would have different looks/technology. Tatooine looked essentially the same, we just saw more of it.
#1706
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Yes, because Marvel wasn't under a "1 film per year" mandate, and had a deep well of possible characters to pull from, not to mention producing sequels of characters already with movies. As Edgar Write notes in this timeline of Ant-Man production, Ant-Man “isn’t one of [Marvel’s] biggest properties, it’s not like a tentpole deadline.” Marvel had a bit more wiggle room to figure things out in pre-production, instead of Lucasfilm's situation where they had to greenlight a lot of films fast, and hope for the best. Still, they did eventually fire Edgar Wright specifically because his "different spin" turned out to be too different from what they wanted or expected, and couldn't reconcile the differences even after 8 years.
I'm not sure I'd call Ant-Man a "surprise hit," since it's the 3rd lowest grossing MCU film, at least domestically. Worldwide its... 4th lowest grossing. Solo actually performed better than Ant-Man domestically. What probably saved Ant-Man is that it had nice foriegn revenue, and Marvel saw potential with the character and cross-over capabilities.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franch...d=avengers.htm
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/franch...d=avengers.htm
I really find if baffling that people think that planning out the story before filming would've meant a trilogy they liked better, especially before they even see the conclusion. Lucas was crafting the story for the OT and the PT on the fly as the OT was being produced (the PT story was the backstory in OT). There's lots of inconsistencies in the OT films, and what we know now as a lot of retconning of plot points and characters in later films from what was originally "planned" or conceived. However, the whole came together well enough that people overlook the flaws. Meanwhile, the PT had the basic story handed to it pre-planned based on the development during the OT, and it was a trash fire.
Say they did plan the ST ahead of time. Who's to say they wouldn't have brought in Rian Johnson for that planning, and he lays out an Ep 8 storyline that's largely the same as TLJ, and Lucasfilm love it, and since he's not busy filming, have Rian craft Ep 9 as well. Now, maybe Ep 7's story gets tweaked, but if RJ/Lucasfilm like the Snoke/Rey's parents twists enough they maybe just keep them as "mysteries" in Ep 7. So in this "plan ahead" scenario, Lucasfilm is committed to Ep 9 following RJ's vision. Would that be preferable to you?
And you don't think adding a scene or two of very loose connectivity is much easier than crafting a movie trilogy? Hell, the most MCU has done is a two-parter.
Say they did plan the ST ahead of time. Who's to say they wouldn't have brought in Rian Johnson for that planning, and he lays out an Ep 8 storyline that's largely the same as TLJ, and Lucasfilm love it, and since he's not busy filming, have Rian craft Ep 9 as well. Now, maybe Ep 7's story gets tweaked, but if RJ/Lucasfilm like the Snoke/Rey's parents twists enough they maybe just keep them as "mysteries" in Ep 7. So in this "plan ahead" scenario, Lucasfilm is committed to Ep 9 following RJ's vision. Would that be preferable to you?
And you don't think adding a scene or two of very loose connectivity is much easier than crafting a movie trilogy? Hell, the most MCU has done is a two-parter.
And that is exactly my point with the Marvel vs. Star Wars comparison. It is much easier to add a scene or two to loosely connect several movies together but guess what they planned it out and they did it and the results are nothing short of spectacular. There were even MORE expectations with Star Wars at the time and it would be a way more difficult task to craft a follow up to one of the most beloved franchises ever. But instead of facing that challenge head on and really "crafting" that trilogy they said screw it we're just going to wing it and make it up as we go along. Maybe it works and maybe it doesn't we shall see in a few more months.
#1707
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I will always contend that Lucas needed someone to work out his PT with; my main beef is that Qui Gonn should not have died but rather been maimed by Maul, thus replacing the count dooku character who does not side with the emperor but is killed by anakin and obi wan because of the emperor.
#1708
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Originally Posted by brayzie
The lightning himself is actually a good idea of Lucas's. In the OT we think he's the decrepit, ancient dude who's running the Empire, but if we see him as a regular dude in the first two OT films, 20 years is not enough to turn him into the cryptkeeper.
Just one more thing the PT didn’t need to do (see also: midichlorians, Anakin building C3PO, Padme dying only because the movie was over).
#1709
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I mean Mace was wielding the lightning back at him during their fight. Easy to believe that he’d come away scarred somehow from that.
#1710
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Kathleen Kennedy had some words about that in an article I already linked to:
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/he...r-exit-1016619
... just a year ago, THR did a Q-and-A with her that sheds light on her thinking. Kennedy discussed her belief that within major franchises, it is possible to “take artistic license and creative risks.” She added, “If all you're doing is playing it safe — trying to make the same movie over and over again — that's when the audiences say, 'Oh, this is just a moneymaking machine.’ But if it's genuinely in service to the art form, then the franchise concept is being used in a way that's exciting.”
This math looks wrong. Ant-Man made $519 million worldwide. Where did you get the $623 million number from? That's the wordwide total for its sequel, Ant-Man and the Wasp.
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=antman.htm
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies...andthewasp.htm
Iron Man? Thor? Which B-List Superhero Has The Brawn To Make It Big? - MTV
Which of these B-list heroes have what it takes to become A-list movie stars?
Can Marvel prevail with a slate of characters - Thor, the recently deceased (but sure to be resurrected) Captain America, Ant-Man - that, beloved as they are to longtime comics fans, are mostly unknown to today's kids?
What about a DCU vs Star Wars comparison. WB did have a plan for the DCU, building to Justice League. Hell, the entire cast of Justice League was cast years in advance for Batman v Superman. They even had a consistency of vision, with one filmmaker overseeing everything. How'd that work out?
Sure, a plan is great, when it works. But even with a plan, sometimes you're going to have to throw it out midway through because, surprise, your plan sucks.
#1711
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Every day I come to this thread hoping to read something about Ep IX... nope, not today.
#1712
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
It's ironic that the TLJ lovers are the same one who complained that the haters could never move on and stop bashing the movie (which they were right), yet they are the ones have been bashing and utterly shitting on the PT for the last few pages.
Last edited by coli; 09-11-19 at 01:38 PM.
#1713
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Yes because wouldn’t lightning to the face just burn your flesh off or at the very least give your Freddy Kruger burns? And not symmetrical wrinkles and a caveman brow?
But I don’t like the idea of advance aging being a byproduct of using the dark side of the Force. It should corrupt you morally, not physically.
Also the makeup looks stupid. Always felt it gave off a rubbery “Power Rangers” vibe. Lucas didn’t need to do that. Palpatine putting his hood up was enough to “get it”. Lucas didn’t need to throw an anvil of an explanation on why he looks older in the OT.
#1714
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Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I can kind of dismiss that the aesthetics don’t look exactly the same to be truthful. I mean in the span between the Prequel Trilogy and the Original Trilogy it’s easy to believe that technology would have change and yet at the same time a lot of the ships and whatnot being used by the Rebels in particular would be worn down from use and since they’re a smaller group wouldn’t have the means to get or build more advanced ships.
As far as aesthetics of the different locales we saw planets in the prequels that weren’t in the originals so I can accept different planets would have different looks/technology. Tatooine looked essentially the same, we just saw more of it.
As far as aesthetics of the different locales we saw planets in the prequels that weren’t in the originals so I can accept different planets would have different looks/technology. Tatooine looked essentially the same, we just saw more of it.
#1715
DVD Talk Hero
#1716
DVD Talk Hero
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
#1717
Moderator
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America were all considered third tier, or at least "B-list" characters before Marvel made them major starts of their own movies.
Iron Man? Thor? Which B-List Superhero Has The Brawn To Make It Big? - MTV
Iron Man? Thor? Which B-List Superhero Has The Brawn To Make It Big? - MTV
Sometimes when people make empty claims, other people make empty claims, too. Human beings are weird like that.
#1718
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Anyways, I saw some news that the TROS trailer that's expected to release in OCT has been rated by the BBFC at a slightly higher rating than the first teaser, possibly hinting at some more intense imagery. Maybe Rey takes Force lightning to the face so that's why she looks off in that scene with red lightsaber.
#1719
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
Jar Jar Binks > Sad Sack Of Shit Luke Skywalker
Nothing out of the Prequels is as bad as the Poe stuff from the beginning of TLJ.
If Rey does go to the Dark Side in The Rise Of Skywalker I hope it isn't as ham fisted as Anakin's turn in the Prequels. The acting from Christensen while Anakin is going back on forth of what he should do when Mace Windu is attacking Palpatine is just cringe worthy. And then after he lops his hands off his realization that he now has to follow the Emperor is just as bad. "I just helped murder the second in charge member of the Jedi council so sure I will go kill some kids for you".
Nothing out of the Prequels is as bad as the Poe stuff from the beginning of TLJ.
If Rey does go to the Dark Side in The Rise Of Skywalker I hope it isn't as ham fisted as Anakin's turn in the Prequels. The acting from Christensen while Anakin is going back on forth of what he should do when Mace Windu is attacking Palpatine is just cringe worthy. And then after he lops his hands off his realization that he now has to follow the Emperor is just as bad. "I just helped murder the second in charge member of the Jedi council so sure I will go kill some kids for you".
#1720
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/...-wars-trilogy/
don't recall this being mentioned before... not sure about the validity of the news either.
don't recall this being mentioned before... not sure about the validity of the news either.
#1721
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
From everything that I have read/seen Daisy Ridley seems done with Star Wars. If she does come back I don't see it anytime soon. She seems to want to move on to other things but I guess the almighty $ can swing things.
#1722
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I'm disputing the logic that seems to run "ST did X, and I don't like ST, so therefore X is the problem, and they should've known better than to do X." The ST wasn't planned in advance, sure, but neither were the OT, or Godfather Trilogy, or Terminator and T2, or most original film series. And to compare Marvel's initial production of standalone films with loose continuity on a relaxed schedule vs Lucafilm's rush to produce a film trilogy in 6 years, with movies in-between isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. Likewise with the choice to use lesser-known, newer directors: it's worked for Marvel and other franchises, although even Marvel has had issues in certain cases.
Movies are complicated things to create with a lot of people involved in a lot of various, constantly shifting parts. There's no single right or wrong way to make one, and that goes doubly so with a franchise. People are armchair quarterbacking and claiming that Lucasfilm should've "obviously" done things differently, but that's only really obvious in hindsight. Should Lucasfilm not have hired Phil Lord and Chris Miller for Solo? In hindsight, it's easy to say no, but at the time it looked like a way to bring a fresh creative view to the franchise. I'd rather have a Lucasilm that takes risks like that and sometimes fails than one that just tries to "play it safe," and just deliver warmed-over OT reruns to satisfy the member-berries.
But in some way, you're right that Spider-Man was king. In 1998, while Sony was negotiating for the rights to Spider-Man, Marvel offered to sell their entire roster to Sony.
https://www.bleedingcool.com/2018/02...-million-1998/
Mr. Landau took the offer back to his bosses at Sony, whose response was quick and decisive, he recalled in an interview: “Nobody gives a sh—about any of the other Marvel characters. Go back and do a deal for only Spider-Man.”
#1723
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
My impression from Daisy isn't that she's unhappy with Star Wars in any way, but wants to move on and be able to do more other things. 5 1/2 years in one roll is a lot of time. If the roll is reduced to supporting and takes a lot less time, and maybe starts up after a good gap between, then it seems possible.
I'm thinking of how RDJ seemed done with doing standalone Iron Man movies after 3, but was fine appearing in other Marvel films in a more supporting role. Sometimes just dialing back the commitment can keep someone in a role.
#1724
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)
I think the validity of the Original Trilogy wasn’t planned out argument is lessened by the fact that when those films released there was a lot less lore attached to them. There was just the film that came prior to the last one and a few books.
The Sequel Trilogy on the other hand has had forty years of established lore to base things off of. Countless novels, comics, video games, and of course the films. There’s a lot more out there that fans are aware of which is why certain expectations were in place by many of us.
The Sequel Trilogy on the other hand has had forty years of established lore to base things off of. Countless novels, comics, video games, and of course the films. There’s a lot more out there that fans are aware of which is why certain expectations were in place by many of us.
#1725
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker (12/20/19, W/D: J.J. Abrams)