Star Wars Episode 7 Thread

[Gorgon]

Pirates got really boring, but that's to be expected after 4 of them. I guess you can count on Star Wars not being the least bit controversial and trying hard to please everyone. It's not like they could do worse than Lucas if they tried though. 

[Oerwinde]

 

 

 

When was the last time Disney messed something up?

The Incredible Hulk.

That was before Disney bought Marvel, it was Marvel Studios' product for Universal Pictures

It was also good.

[Oerwinde]

 

 

When was the last time Disney messed something up?

Probably today, it is so big company that it will mess things constantly, if not in their main products (although I would say that The Lone Ranger (2013) at least was mess up and one could also argue same about John Carter (2012)) then in their byproducts like for example leaving certain main characters out of their action figure sets or t-shirts etc..

Depends what you mean by mess up too. Because neither Lone Ranger or John Carter were bad movies. John Carter was actually quite a good movie. The mess ups were bad marketing and spending 200 million on a western.

[Hiro Protagonist]

I liked John Carter and thought it was a good movie. Haven't seen Lone Ranger yet.

[Bester]

[Bester]

Sigh. I used to be a somewhat big fan of Star Wars. That was before I saw the third film. I started having serious doubts when Jar Jar Binks first appeared, but when the third film came out, that was it for me.

 

Is the 7th film going to involve Lucas? If it is, I'm not even going to see it.

 

This pretty much sums up everything I think about Star Wars.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABcXyZn9xjg

Edited September 15, 2014 by Bester

[Elerond]

 

 

When was the last time Disney messed something up?

Probably today, it is so big company that it will mess things constantly, if not in their main products (although I would say that The Lone Ranger (2013) at least was mess up and one could also argue same about John Carter (2012)) then in their byproducts like for example leaving certain main characters out of their action figure sets or t-shirts etc..

Depends what you mean by mess up too. Because neither Lone Ranger or John Carter were bad movies. John Carter was actually quite a good movie. The mess ups were bad marketing and spending 200 million on a western.

 

 

As liking or disliking films are are always subjective (for example film critics didn't seem to like Lone Ranger (37 average in metacritic from 45 reviews) or John Carter (51 average in metacritic from 41 reviews) very much) the only way to check if maker messed something up with film is to check if film made profit or loss, although that don't tell you reason why film was success or why it was failure, which would need much deeper analysis and access to information that isn't often open for public.

[Tale]

no,the EU staff was canon,only it had to be 'canonized' by GL in order to be considered fully in the SW Timeline

The old Star Wars EU operated on a tier system. Movies, television, everything else, and then a few more items to be totally disregarded, like SWG. In that order.

 

The only "fully canonized" level of that was the movie one, known as G-canon. Telvision (T-canon) seemed to be pretty close. But the stuff below that was disregarded with wild abandon. The fun thing here is the T-canon raised a few elements of lower canon. The Dark Sun and Falleen appeared in The Clone Wars. The cartoon almost had an appearance by Revan, in fact, but it was scrapped.

 

George Lucas never cared about the EU. And you don't have to look any further than his stance on cortosis to see that. Doesn't exist anywhere in the movies, doesn't exist in the cartoons, but the EU was built on the stuff. They tried including it in the cartoon and Lucas told them no.

[Oerwinde]

 

 

 

When was the last time Disney messed something up?

Probably today, it is so big company that it will mess things constantly, if not in their main products (although I would say that The Lone Ranger (2013) at least was mess up and one could also argue same about John Carter (2012)) then in their byproducts like for example leaving certain main characters out of their action figure sets or t-shirts etc..

Depends what you mean by mess up too. Because neither Lone Ranger or John Carter were bad movies. John Carter was actually quite a good movie. The mess ups were bad marketing and spending 200 million on a western.

 

 

As liking or disliking films are are always subjective (for example film critics didn't seem to like Lone Ranger (37 average in metacritic from 45 reviews) or John Carter (51 average in metacritic from 41 reviews) very much) the only way to check if maker messed something up with film is to check if film made profit or loss, although that don't tell you reason why film was success or why it was failure, which would need much deeper analysis and access to information that isn't often open for public.

 

 

I generally don't pay attention to Metacritic scores, film critics tend to overanalyze stuff. I tend to look more at the audience reviews. I just know that pretty much 90% of the people I've seen badmouthing Lone Ranger didn't like it because it was sexist and racist, which it wasn't, and that it was overly long, which it was. Seriously, Tonto isn't racist. He's a mental case, and the other natives in the movie all think he's a wacko. The movie pretty clearly states that he isn't representative of natives and is his own thing.

 

And most of the people who badmouth John Carter didn't see it, they just assume its bad because it only made 200 million dollars on a 250 million dollar budget. I have yet to talk to someone who saw it and didn't like it.

[Blarghagh]

I thought it was a decent film that bombed because of terrible marketing.

[ManifestedISO]

Dude is a modern-day Albert Bierstadt.

 

 

 

This piece was inspired by a still from the movie, Once Upon a Time in the West, which in turn inspired Lucas originally. You can see that frame here. The artist's name is Joshua Viers, check out his page, you'll see what I mean about the Hudson River School comparisons. 

[Hiro Protagonist]

George Lucas never cared about the EU. And you don't have to look any further than his stance on cortosis to see that. Doesn't exist anywhere in the movies, doesn't exist in the cartoons, but the EU was built on the stuff. They tried including it in the cartoon and Lucas told them no.

 

 

I wouldn't say the EU was built on it. I 've read a lot of EU stuff and never came across it. The only time I came across it was in video games. I can see why Lucas would be against it. I agree with Lucas.

[Bryy]

 

When was the last time Disney messed something up?

 

Probably today, it is so big company that it will mess things constantly, if not in their main products (although I would say that The Lone Ranger (2013) at least was mess up and one could also argue same about John Carter (2012)) then in their byproducts like for example leaving certain main characters out of their action figure sets or t-shirts etc..

 

Disney has hits and misses like any other studio.

 

Like any other thing.

 

But Disney, by and large, is an extremely competent company with very good leadership.

[Blarghagh]

Since they dropped Mike Eisner, anyway.

[ManifestedISO]

Score. Target exclusive, exceedingly difficult to get, available again on Target's ebay page for a few more minutes.

 

[Guard Dog]

I'm just hoping it won't suck. It's a longshot I know.

[Namutree]

I'm just hoping it won't suck. It's a longshot I know.

There are three simple things the new trilogy must do to be good:

 

A) Keep the story simple, and make it use a lot of tension building. Star Wars is at it's best when it's dramatic; not convoluted. Simple stories are easier to relate to emotionally, and thus more compelling.

 

B)  Don't just jump us into a battle scene. Instead build it up; do a briefing session so the audience can get an idea of what the good guys are trying to do, and to build anticipation for the battle.

 

C) Be consistent with the primary cannon. The prequels are so annoying when they don't fit the original trilogy, and scenes for the ORIGINAL TRILOGY had to be altered or cut by George Lucas so the cannon could make sense. It should have been the other way around; the prequels should have been made to fit the originals.

 

Obvious pitfalls to avoid:

 

A) Over acting protagonists. To say Anakin was over the top in episode 2 & 3 would be an understatement. Only bad guys get to be campy since they aren't meant to be sympathetic.

 

B) Anti-villains. Don't make us sympathize with the villain. Villains should be fearsome; not sympathetic. The attempt to make Darth Vader less of an evil figure through the prequels is one of the biggest flaws of the prequel trilogy. Not only did it lead to a very stupid motivation for Anakin turning to the dark side, but it cheapens his redemption. Not to mention that a story of good vs. evil is more emotionally compelling. 

 

C) Meaningless battle scenes. If a battle scene has nothing to do with the main story; don't show it. The wookie battle in episode III is a perfect example of wasting screen time. Don't do that.

[Blarghagh]

B)  Don't just jump us into a battle scene. Instead build it up; do a briefing session so the audience can get an idea of what the good guys are trying to do, and to build anticipation for the battle.

 

I agree with most of what you said, but starting in medias res can work just fine. After all, it worked for the original, didn't it? We didn't know who any of those people were. It's just that if it starts in mid-battle, it needs to be understandable, important and it needs to demonstrate who these people are. Like in the original.

[Valsuelm]

The only thing that perks my interest even a little is seeing the original cast in action. However, I will likely refrain from seeing it until I get word from some trusted folks that it's actually good. I doubt that word will come and fully expect Han, Leia, Luke, et al to be **** upon over and over by Abrams, Disney, et al. Given the many of the people behind the movie, I expect this new trilogy to make the prequels look good. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

[Namutree]

 

B)  Don't just jump us into a battle scene. Instead build it up; do a briefing session so the audience can get an idea of what the good guys are trying to do, and to build anticipation for the battle.

 

I agree with most of what you said, but starting in medias res can work just fine. After all, it worked for the original, didn't it? We didn't know who any of those people were. It's just that if it starts in mid-battle, it needs to be understandable, important and it needs to demonstrate who these people are. Like in the original.

 

I would hardly call the start of episode 4 a battle. Yet even if it was there was a build up. The opening sequence tells you what's going on. After that opening scene you know the following:

 

A) That the rebels in this "battle" are being pursued.

 

B) That rebels have obtained vital plans for the Death Star, and if the plans aren't delivered it the end of the rebellion. So already you know the stakes are high; that's how you make it dramatic.

 

 

Now, compare this with the wookie battle in episode 3. Was there any dramatic build up? No. Was the battle at all important? No. Was it a waste of screen time? Yes.

[Blarghagh]

I don't disagree with any of that and none of my post did either.

[Namutree]

I don't disagree with any of that and none of my post did either.

I guess I misread your post. I guess I'm reading things too fast on too many different threads and websites at once. Also, the sun is making my screen harder to read.

 

Edit: I'm in like, 4 different conversations at once. It's too much, and the darn sun glare; I want the glare gone, but I'm so comfortable I don't want to move.

Edited November 1, 2014 by Namutree

[Blarghagh]

Don't whine. Just kidding. I had actually written a pretty in depth, argumentative response already before I realized "hold on, I don't disagree with what you said about the wookie battle".

[Namutree]

The only thing that perks my interest even a little is seeing the original cast in action. However, I will likely refrain from seeing it until I get word from some trusted folks that it's actually good. I doubt that word will come and fully expect Han, Leia, Luke, et al to be **** upon over and over by Abrams, Disney, et al. Given the many of the people behind the movie, I expect this new trilogy to make the prequels look good. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

I think you'll be wrong. As long as they keep George Lucas away from it. Ever since the 90's he's been on a crusade to piece by piece ruin everything about Star Wars. First it was little things; Han strangely sinking his head like tortoise to avoid Gredo's shot; ruining what was a great scene.

 

In time though ruining minor elements wasn't enough! Everything good had to be destroyed.

[Blarghagh]

It helps that J.J. Abrams already got experience directing Star Wars movies. He made the Star Trek reboot, after all.